If It Weren't The Heart (formerly known as The Elevator Ride)
by distressingdisneydamsel
Summary: Hansla/Iceburns/Helsa Office Modern AU. Timid Elsa pairs up with Hans, her competition at work. She falls into a Bonnie-And-Clyde-like lie with Hans that she can't dig her way out of. Elsa knows this flirationship is dangerous. Hans is suave, calculated, and manipulative, and Elsa can't seem to keep up. Includes appearances by Kristoff, Anna, & Disney characters.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This story used to be called "The Elevator Ride." This is a Modern AU fan fic for the Frozen pairing of Prince Hans and Queen Elsa. It is left a little bit vague over what "thing" happened to Elsa. In my mind I know what it is, but I wanted the readers to have to make assumptions for themselves. Hans is wearing tight pants in this. Tight pants! Tight. Pants. And I mention doors. Let me know what you think! It was meant to be a one shot, but it was requested that I kept it going.

**Chapter One:**

Keeping her spine painfully straight, Elsa nervously scratched her perfectly painted nail polish off of her nails to distract herself. Wearing a complicated bun, a conservative blue knee-length dress, tights and high heels, no skin was exposed except for her face and hands. Even then, she typically wore gloves since the winter's were harsh in Arendelle. Her echoing footsteps on the tiled floor made her more self conscious. The last thing she wanted was more attention after she bitterly stormed out of that room. Elsa grew exhausted from putting in effort into something she didn't even like doing. Furious even. Furious and very… sad. Sad because nobody would ever trust her or see her as capable of anything. The night before, she sobbed alone over it. Throwing things across the room, she promised herself she'd confront them all. She felt like she could still hear the sound of her hairbrush hitting the wall when she tried hard enough. She stopped walking, but she still heard footsteps. Someone much taller stood over her. The faint smell of cologne drifted into her nose. She could already tell who the tall stranger still behind her was. Hans. He leaned in to press the elevator button. Elsa felt his barrel chest through her back.

"Sorry", he said once he noticed. He put his hand on Elsa's shoulder, as if to remedy that he had gotten so close. Hans regally smiled at her blank stare. Usually too timid to make eye contact, Elsa challenged herself to meet his gaze. She drank in his handsomeness, secretly thankful that his large hand never left her shoulder. Hans always dressed to impress. He wore his navy blazer with a purposefully faded, dark purple V-neck shirt. His charcoal skinny jeans and thick, wrapped scarf made him look like he just walked out of a magazine. Usually, she only saw him in suits. He pulled his hand back.

"Are… you still mad at me since the last time we met?" Hans asked.

"Well I still think of pouring my scalding, hot coffee on you," Elsa teased back. He did deserve it, though.

"I doubt that's the only time you think of me."

"What does that mean?" The red-faced girl stammered. Before he could answer, a stranger walked past them. The stranger's presence interrupted their private conversation. After the person left, the pair got quiet. He always knew how to provoke her. Embarrassingly enough, Hans knew what had just happened to Elsa in the other room. She hoped he'd do her the favor of not mentioning it. A silent elevator ride alone with him was nerve-racking enough. What made it worse was how he obviously affect her. She balled her shaking fists, trying to limit their tremor. The thought of having to talk to him during it made her more apprehensive. What if she had to do something worse like making eye contact with his mezmorizing face? What if she blushed? Stop. Focus. It was just an elevator ride. When they entered the elevator and the doors closed, he asked the most uncomfortable question he could possibly in that moment:

"Have you ever felt like you just wanted to quit and leave everything?"

He made it obvious he knew what just happened to Elsa in the other room. She tried to swallow the lump in her dry throat. It felt like hours had passed by before she had the courage to answer. Her eyes darted trying to buy more time to avoid him. The elevator's silver walls could only distract her for so long. She felt his eyes never left her face. Time ran out. She couldn't wait any longer without it becoming more awkward. Her nervous, bare hands began to sweat. She tried to back up, but she pushed herself into the corner long ago. He casually leaned his hand on the wall against her back, so he could face her. She'd say anything at this point to get his emerald eyes off of her. An ashamed "yes" escaped her lips. Suddenly, he hurled more questions at her. He did it so quickly she answered without hesitation or restrain in order to keep up.  
"Have you ever felt vulnerable?" Hans puzzled.  
"Yes."  
"Replaceable?"  
"Yes."  
"Unwanted?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. Now I can use you for this plan I have." He shockingly _smiled_ from the corner of his mouth. She grew unsure of the reason he'd find joy in her misery. Before she could ponder ideas as to why, she realized he stood too close. His minty breath brushed against her check. She envied how he was able to speak so smoothly and confidently, while she felt too nervous to even look in his direction.  
"Wait… w-what plan? And…and what about you? Have you felt those things?" She figured, if he got to know her insecurities, she had the right to know his. She already knew the answer, though. She'd heard from her sister that he lacked a strong family bond. His situation was rare and dysfunctional, when it came to relatives. He put his other hand under her chin to force her to look up at him. His warmth flowed into her face, causing her nervousness to sky rocket. Had he ever heard of personal space? Of course he had. He always was praised for having grace, charm, and manners fit for a prince. But with Elsa, he seemed too bold, crossing the line. His thumb brushed against her supple cheek.  
"Yes, I have," He revealed. The elevator doors opened.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm making a reference (for fun. No other reason) to the Duke of Weselton in this. I'm going to change a bit of what he's like (after all, he can't a duke in a modern AU...well actually- ok getting off topic. He will not be a duke. He will be the bosses uneasy to please, accomplished husband, BUT he won't appear in this chapter. I'm just letting you people know.) Dr. Weselton will be the Duke of Weselton's wife. Her name is Helsa because she's dark, calculated, unpredictable like the whole ship. And she brings Hans and Elsa together. (Note for people who have read this: in case anyone is have a hard time imagining anything, the dress mentioned is supposed to be based off of Anastasia's. Feel free to use your own imagination for it, if you'd like.) Btw, all of these author notes are optional!

**Chapter Two**

Walking out of the meeting, Elsa and Hans were on each side of their boss, Dr. Helsa Weselton. She had a Ph.D in international relations. She appeared to be in her sixties, at the very least, with a firm, noble face. Her silvery hair reflected light almost like a mirror. Elsa never saw this woman in anything besides a business suit, but then again she had only known her for two weeks. It was an internship, but Elsa put in her best efforts. She wanted nothing more than to be part of this company. Hans, after the same, limited spot, would be willing to compete with Elsa at all costs.

"You two remind me of me and my husband when we first met," Dr. Weselton noted in an elderly voice. "You're a great couple." Elsa immediately glanced at Hans for his reaction, who blankly stared at her as well. Dr. Weselton studied them through her glasses, as Elsa turned her attention to her boss.

"Oh, Gosh. Actually, we, um..." Elsa started.

"I insist you two join me and my husband for the Charity ball tonight at seven sharp. I know it's last minute. The employees I needed to bring with me called in sick. I think you two could fill in for them nicely. There will be some very important business companies there. To be to the point, I'm expecting you two to impress and intimidate them," Dr. Weselton commanded. She placed her fists behind her back. It was just the opportunity Elsa dreamed: a chance to prove herself. Only one problem: she and Hans were not a couple.

"We'd love to!" Hans blurted. He didn't even look at Elsa for permission. That's one of the things Elsa hated about Hans. He pulled her into situations like this without even asking her. On their very first day, he got out of a parking ticket by lying that he was heading to a funeral. The sympathy card worked, and he pulled the nearby Elsa to vouch for his lie. They weren't even friends. If anything, they seemed to be enemies.

Elsa stammered, "B-but We're not-"

"We'll be there! We're so thankful for this opportunity. Right... Honey?" Hans recovered. Elsa rolled her eyes, realizing she couldn't win this fight with him. After exchanging with Dr. Weselton the location and information, Elsa and Hans walked out into the parking lot in silence, until they were both sure no one else could hear them. The sound of her heels stomping angrily on the black, pavement hissed in her ears.

She stopped in place and pushed his chest as she shouted, "Why!?"

"Look, you know I need this. We both do. It's a lie. Okay. Sure, but morals don't matter when it comes to business climbing," Hans declared.

"What!? Of course morals matter! How could you even…" Before Elsa could finish, Hans grabbed her dainty shoulders, causing her to lose her focus on her speech. His firm grip slightly pinched at her fragile frame.

"Please?" He begged. "Elsa, we could easily climb our way to the top with this. People wait years for a chance like this. I can't let this go." His honesty stole the best of her empathy.

She avoided, "But I can't lie the way you can. This whole plan you have is more trouble than it's worth. Plus, since when have you ever helped me? That's out of character for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go home. I had plans." Elsa tensed her back, shrugging his hands off of her. She turned her back from him, taking small steps towards her car.

"Elsa, I just so happen to know how much of a thin line you've been walking on. You've screwed up. Really, really badly, actually. You need tonight. This is your only chance. If you walk away, you can kiss this job goodbye. You're pretty replaceable, Elsa." He could tell he struck a nerve in her by the way she paused in the mist of her stride. Her back still to him, she frowned.

"Tonight can fix that." His voice softened. Hans dug his fists in his pockets, waiting on her to agree. She bit her pink, small lip. Could she fix it? It embarrassed her enough he knew, but for him to rudely point it out humiliated her. He was right, and she decided to believe and trust him. She couldn't lose this job. It was all she had left. Slowly, she spun around on the tips of her toes.

She disclosed, "Okay, I'll be your pretend girlfriend for tonight. This is only because I need to prove myself to Dr. Weselton, but you better not betray me. I swear, if I catch you trying to ruin this for me to get me out of the competition, you'll be sorry. Let's just agree to do this before I change my mind. Deal?" Hans shook on it eagerly.

* * *

Later that evening, Elsa finished pinning her long hair into her twisted bun that she wore often. She never attended a black tie event before. Lacking formal ball attire of her own, she borrowed her sister's gown. It was a fitted, long, dark blue dress with a sweet heart neckline. It had a sparkling, sheer, matching dark blue fabric that trailed on the floor behind her like a cape. The dress was simplistic yet a showstopper. She slid on her little sister's white, long gloves, while judging her reflection in the mirror. _Conceal don't feel. Don't let it show._ Her anxiety rose again. Her nerves ruined so many events for her. She missed many of her sister's birthdays, too afraid to come out of her bedroom. If ever let her anxiety cripple her like that again, she'd probably be fired from work like Hans cruelly noted. While driving herself to the charity ball, she focused on anything else to keep herself from getting nervous. She paid the most attention to how odd it felt to try to step on the gas pedal with her high heels. Small tactics like these helped her. There was a year where she refused to take off her gloves. Now she found a crutch anywhere she went, whenever she grew too panicked. When she arrived, the sight of the lights and sound of music leaking through the ballroom doors made her stomach sink. Crowds of people filed into the building. Judging from the full parking lot, thousands of people attended. It occurred to her that it must seem odd to others that she casually drove herself there, while most guests arrive in stretch, black limousines. As she was about to walk into the wide, golden doors alone, she heard a familiar voice that sounded delighted to find her. A voice that sounded like it belonged on Broadway. Nobody had ever sounded _happy_ to see her, so she immediately whipped around to see who.

Straightening his already straight tie, Hans cheered, "You made it! I was worried you'd go back on your word."

"I could say the same for you." She batted her eyelashes in shock. He proved to be the one with the reputation of double crossing people. Not her. Changing the subject, Hans glossed his eyes over her body. Feeling self-conscious, Elsa covered her bare arms by hugging herself. She feared that a person's gaze came with scrutiny.

"You look beautiful," He acknowledged. Her cheeks filling in with pink, she pondered how he held the power to make her blush so easily. This time, she blamed it on how attractive he looked in a tuxedo. Black complimented him well. A man as princely as him shinned most in formal garb.

Hiding her urge to gush, she placidly remarked, "Thank you. You look handsome, as well." The statement contained no lie. He was the picture of a suave gentleman. Any girl would be jealous to know went to a ball with _The_ Hans Westerguaard. Even at work, the other girls swooned when he looked in their direction. Elsa became the only exception. Even her sister blurted about his gorgeousness when she met him, while visiting Elsa at work. His defined jaw-line, strong shoulders, grace, and smooth voice resulted in a winning combination. Elsa zoned back in when Hans leaned down to whisper something private, most likely about their plan. His nose pressed behind her ear, as his mouth hovered close enough for her to hear him.

Before he had the chance to say a word, Dr. Weselton interrupted with her booming voice, "Sorry to interrupt your PDA, but we need to get inside early, if we want to make a good impression." This was the friendliest their boss had ever come across, and it still sounded as strict as ever. Hans pulled away from Elsa immediately. A flush painted his face when he realized it must have seemed like he was about to start kissing her neck publically. Quickly following their boss inside the ballroom, the "couple" found their seats at a massive dinner table. With table cloth tangled at their legs. A long floral arrangement decorated the center of the table. It hung low enough for each guest to still be able to see each other over the bundles of white, winter lilies. Most of the other businessmen and women at this event were at least in their forties. Some older and few younger. It became clear Elsa and Hans were the only twenty-somethings there. The conversation struggled to start. The huge age gap made it difficult for them to find a topic beyond the weather. Trying to stimulate the conversation, Dr. Weselton turned the attention to Hans and Elsa. She bragged about how they were both hard-working and accomplished for their age. She didn't forget to mention that they were deeply in love. Elsa fought the urge to sink into her chair. This turned out just as intimidating and nerve-racking as she feared.

A woman far older than Dr. Weselton giggled to Hans, "Your girlfriend is very beautiful," as she pointed to Elsa.

"Thank you. I agree. She's always stunning," Hans divulged, while peering at his date's baffled reaction. Elsa reminded herself he only acted. He did a superb job at it, too. He came across as sincere and respectful. She wished she contained his confident ability, unless he faked it. She never could tell the lying from his true actions. Even worse, his killer good looks teamed with his tuxedo made him unbearable handsome. Studying his performance, Elsa squinted.

The older women spoke again, but this time to Elsa: "I can tell you're in love with him from the way you look at him when he's not paying attention."

"What was that?" Hans awakened. He shot Elsa a confused look, waiting on her to give some explanation to the claim.

"She's been doing it all night! It's so sweet," another dinner guest chimed in. Elsa's heart raced. Had she been doing that? She fumbled with her gloves, wishing she could think of something to change to subject. Elsa knew even if she thought of another topic, it wouldn't interest the guests as much as her personal love life. Plus, she knew, if she started to speak, she'd probably nervously babble on and on. She usually bragged about her little sister whenever nervous. The whole table swapped gazes between the fake couple.

Hans bore an amused reaction, "Really now?"

"It's love, if I've ever seen it," a different voice answered. All the guests nodded. Elsa couldn't possibly allow herself to love a guy like him. She sold herself on the notion that it was a ridiculous claim. Hans was dangerous. She knew better, but having to be his true love for the night, it certainly wasn't the first time Elsa had thought of it. Tonight only gave poetic imagination a break. Instead of day dreaming about wearing beautiful dresses, while on a date with Hans, here she sat actually doing it. Thinking about the guest's statements more, Elsa remembered how she used to critique Hans' past girlfriend. She'd sit at her desk, watching her recklessly throw herself on him. Her name was Esmeralda, and she defined the word "sexy." Elsa would internally note what she'd do differently, if she ever fell into his arms instead. Elsa's palms began to feel clammy under her gloves. This conversation kept the interest of the older guests at Elsa's expense, and Hans was able to handle the challenge better than his shy date.

A man with a bright, yellow pocket square grumbled, "It's exciting to see such a lovely, young couple interact! Tell us, what made you decide to make her yours?"

Hans' Adam's apple bobbed, as his swallowed. Until now, Hans always seemed prepared for anything. If it became obvious to Elsa that he grew anxious, then it was obvious to everyone else.

"I never thought of that before," Hans digressed.

Because you don't think of me, Elsa thought to herself. A few seconds passed where everyone waited for him to provide a thrilling story. Elsa squeezed her ivory, cloth napkin under the table. She figured this could be where their entire plan fell apart. He couldn't muster up a story about how he captivated he felt by her this quickly. Nobody could.

Hans took in a breath before continuing, "Well, Elsa's very intelligent and deep. You could talk to her about politics, history, philosophy, anything really. She'd probably disagree, but she has a witty side too. It's funny. Sometimes she...well, I'll never forget the first time it snowed after work. She was insanely happy. I'd never seen anyone love winter that much. Her hair was almost white with snowflakes. I know it's small, but I notice things like that. And she's clearly beautiful. Gorgeous. Especially when she does that smile from one corner of her mouth, and-" Hans stopped himself. His expression relaxed, as he realized he was getting carried away. With wide, bright eyes, Elsa glared at him. She could have sworn that it looked like he blushed. She reasoned it might have happened because he was on display. She repeated internally that he was acting, but she wanted to hear him say more. After all, no one had ever gloated about her like that. It seemed nobody in her life enjoyed her company. It didn't surprise her. She didn't even like herself.

He cleared his throat and continued, "To get to the point, I... I think I've always known since I've met her." The older adults at the table exchanged their "Awwwws." The cooing from the other guests nauseated her. Could nothing be kept private, while at a dinner table? How dare they make him utter such sweet words about her. Her day dreaming wouldn't be easily tamed after a night like this.

"You really love Elsa, don't you?" The old man affirmed.

"Yes, I really do," Hans almost whispered. He found it hard to make eye contact with Elsa again. Butterflies danced in her stomach at the false confirmation. Elsa's heart ate the entire show, and she hated herself for it. Elsa zoned out of the embarrassing conversation. She felt too invested in each lie he told, and she figured it'd do her good to stop listening. They all seemed more interested in what Hans had to say, anyway. As the plates emptied, people starting leaving the table to mingle with other important business people. There were very powerful businessmen in that ballroom. Dr. Weselton wanted Hans and Elsa to impress them all. Elsa's hands quivered when she quickly glanced at Hans. Her attention fell back onto her plate, nervously. It became no wonder how he stole the heart of every girl he spoke with. The man had a way with words. His compliments dug into her heart. She easily denied her feelings for him before tonight. Pretending to be a couple taunted her emotions and having to do it in front of others just made it harder. _Don't feel. Don't feel_. She took the chance to try to escape towards to doors. Before she could reach it, Hans grabbed her gloved hand.

"Elsa, where are you going? The worst part is over. And great acting, I have to say. You convinced all of them way more than I ever did." That showed itself to be the problem. Tonight turned all too real in Elsa's mind and in Elsa's mind alone.

She quietly mentioned, "I just don't know, if I can talk anymore. I'm exhausted, and to be honest, nervous about this whole scheme. I might ruin everything."

Hans comforted her softly, "Easy. I'll talk for the both of us. Don't you trust me?"

"No, not at all." His fingers prodded at hers, causing her to focus to go towards his hand.

"I don't believe that," He protested.

"Why not? You're the most dishonest man I know." Due to the height difference, Hans leaned down to place his cheek against hers, whispering into her ear, so nobody would hear their out-of-character discussion. His sideburns tickled her skin, and the idea of having him come so close made her breath seize. She felt him gently squeeze her limp hand, as his other hand rested on the bottom of her neck. The intimate touches sent shivers down her spine.

"Because you wouldn't be here, if you didn't trust me." He placed her hands on his shoulders, and he slipped his hands down to her waist. Elsa finally noticed the music play all along, and everyone around them danced in dignified twirls.

"Hans, no. I can't dance!" There light warmth from his broad, muscled shoulders soothed her. She prayed he wouldn't feel the trembling of her hands.

"Just follow my lead," He advised. He acknowledged her shyness, but he decided he'd get his dance.

Elsa cautioned, "No, you don't understand. I really can't."

"Dancing is easy. This is a ball, after all. It's going to look weird, if we're the only ones who refuse to dance."

The blonde persisted in belittling her skill, "I'm completely atrocious. I don't know how. I just can't. Now, please let me sit back down." Elsa tried backing away, but his hands around her waist held her in place. In her imagination, they could dance under the intimacy of darkness. Instead, bright, diamond chandeliers lit their facial expression quiet clearly.

"If you don't stop talking, I'm going to have to kiss you," Hans threatened in an attempt to shut her up. Elsa froze with a small sound escaping her throat. Hans tugged her closer and twirled her.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: This chapter starts to show you Hans' dark intentions behind bringing Elsa to this charity ball. It's not all rainbows and butterflies.

**Chapter** **Three**

As the edge of her blue dress swept across the ballroom floor, Elsa felt stunned that she danced flawlessly. Well, Hans danced flawlessly, and she just merely let him guide her. With her chest almost against his, she glanced back at him for assurance. He took one of her hands in his, and spun their bodies together. Her sparkling, cape-like fabric flowed behind her. Paying less notice to her nervousness, Elsa started to smile. At some points, there were awkward pauses in the dance since Elsa couldn't figure out on her own what to do next.

"You're a natural," Hans encouraged.

"I think I just stepped on your foot. Sorry," Elsa said sheepishly.

"You've been stepping on me this whole song, but it's okay," He joked. It was true. Elsa just hadn't noticed it.

"Sorry. I warned you I wasn't the best." She glanced past the side of his shoulder, watching the other guests ballroom dance with their partners. She wasn't certain of where she was supposed to look. Her eyes darted to the art on the tall walls occasionally. The paintings distanced themselves, as Hans swung their flowing bodies towards the center of the dance floor. She had never danced with someone before. Not even her father taught her. Hans took Elsa's hand and twirled her, as her body left his. She never knew how much fun it could be to dance. A small giggle escaped her throat. Hans made a miscalculation and accidentally didn't catch her from her twirl. Instead, Elsa's hand slipped out of his, disconnecting them entirely. Tripping, she harshly slammed and slid a short distance against the marble floor in a screech. She laid on her stomach, propping her chest up with her arms. With the music still playing, all of the other guests on the dance floor stopped and turned toward the foreign sound. Her face started to feel hot and red with embarrassment. Too many eyes covered her body. In the mist of the humiliation, Hans offer her his hand, but Elsa just looked in horror at all the uneasy eyes staring at her. She heard guests whispering loudly about her, surprised she'd fallen so harshly. She refused Hans' help in shame and stood up wobbly in her heels. Tears threatened her eyes, so she immediately slipped through all the gasping faces to leave. She went outside an emergency exit to find a lush garden. She slammed the door behind her, and her tears fell against her will. She strolled into the center of the garden and sat on a grey, stone bench. Still inside the ballroom, Hans didn't see where she had gone, since the crowd was too thick. He was impressed that she managed to slip through it. Embarrassed by the dancing mistake and his inability to find his date, he strolled bar and ordered a drink. Tonight was rough. He hadn't made a single good impression on Dr. Weselton like he wanted. A female intern, who looked around 25 years old, stood two feet away from him. She fluffed her beach-wave, brown hair. Her purple dress was one of the few colorful gowns at the ball. She appeared unfamiliar, so he figured she came with another company. The girl cleared her throat and spoke without turning to him, "I know what you're doing."

"What do you mean?" Hans examined the champagne with disappointment. Champagne and wine were the only drinks the bar served, but he needed something stronger to make it through the stressful night. The strange girl sipped her drink coolly.

"You're not really in love with her at all," She pointed out.

"We're in love," Hans denied. "We're more in love than ever." It was technically true statement, since they were never really in love at all before, but his tired, monotone didn't convince her. He felt too exhausted and embarrassed from ruining that dance in order to fake an enthusiastic voice like he had all night.

"You're using her. You brought a foolish girl, so she'd screw up, and you'd look better in comparison. But you couldn't have her looking too stupid or else that'd just be bad for you to be associated with her. She just had to be the right amount of pathetic." She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, still facing forward.

Hans scoffed, "She's not pathetic, and I would never do that to her. Elsa is the love of my life and-"

"Don't bother, Westerguaard! I heard about you before. That you're a play boy." She frowned, "And your mind games are well known, too. I even heard you were pretty good at it. Really good. But you're not better than me. You should watch your back. I have no reason to keep your secrets for you."

"So you're going to tell everyone?" Hans avoided directly admitting she was right.

"Not now, but you should be warned that doesn't mean I won't ever. Oh, and since she's your 'true love,' you should know she went outside that door over there." She slid off of the red, leather, padded stool in order to strut away. Hans asked the bartender for another drink.

* * *

Still sitting outside the ballroom in the garden, Elsa let a few sobs slip out from her.

"I'm never going to another ball again," she sniffed to herself. Her voice sounded raspy from crying. She slid one glove off to figure out why her wrist still stung from the fall.

"I hope that isn't all my fault," she heard Hans say as he closed the door to the ballroom behind him. He slowly walked closer to her. She immediately straightened her posture and held her hands in together in a regal manner. She didn't want anyone to see her so vulnerable.

"I didn't hear you come in. No, it's not your fault. You weren't supposed to hear that." Elsa patted her tears with the flesh of her palm. She continued, "I told you I'm a bad dancer. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm truly sorry. It was an accident."

"Elsa, that was my fault entirely. I didn't spin you right. I'm the one who's sorry." Hans sat next to her. After a few long seconds of silence, he took her gloveless hand and examined her fresh scrape on it. She felt her heart beat faster as he held her hand in his.

"Your wrist is bleeding. No wonder you looked like you were about to cry. It must be hurting." Actually it was the embarrassment that caused the tears, Elsa thought to herself. The pain in her wrist wasn't noticeable to her until later. She blinked away any future tears.

"Dr. Weselton was just bragging how perfect of a boyfriend I am to you. I think I just ruined that whole image for her by dropping you in front of our company's biggest competitors. That'll be something they'll all talk about for a while," Hans lightly teased.

"You weren't that bad. You were fairly nice to me tonight. Besides, I'm sure you've been wanting to drop me since you first met me," She jested back. Hans had a hurt expression on his face that Elsa didn't expect.

"I would never want to hurt you. You know that, right? I really am sorry. You didn't even want to come tonight. I shouldn't have made you." Hans looked down, and Elsa took her injured wrist back. The music of crickets filled the cold, misty air of the garden. She regretted crying, wondering how badly her makeup could be ruined. After a long pause, turned away from her. He picked a few red roses from bush next to him, until he held a mini bouquet containing six, natural roses. He gave it to her.

Shocked, she gasped, "Are these for me?" She smelled the flowers, pressing the blossoms to her nose. The aroma smelled wonderful enough to be made into a perfume.

"I think I owe any girl I drop like that flowers," He insisted. Knowing how sensitive women could be, he quickly rephrased his sentence, "Not that you're just 'any girl.'" Elsa knew their lie wouldn't be very believable to Dr. Weselton, if he didn't. But something seemed so genuine about Hans tonight. He didn't have to put on a romantic act, while they say alone, so why did he? He glimpsed at the stars, as she observed him. She suddenly gained the courage to do something she never thought she could. She placed the flowers next to her on the bench. She stretched up and kissed his cheek. She could smell his after shave. Her pink lipstick left a mark on his face, as she pulled away.

"What was that for?" Hans tried to hide his involuntary smile.

"We're supposed to be in love for the night, remember?" Elsa justified.

"But no one was here to see that?"

Elsa bit her lip, "Oh, right."

Hans continued with a flirtatious whisper, "Then I guess you'll have to do it again later." Nervous by his seducing tone, Elsa clung to her flowery gift to distract herself. Hans stood up. She continued to bite her lip at the thought of him wanting her to kiss his cheek again.

"Alright, beautiful. Time to get back inside," He proclaimed. _Beautiful._ She twisted the empty glove in her lap.

"Is something wrong Elsa?" She wanted to question why his so called _acting _was so believable to her. She knew she couldn't do that without embarrassing herself, and she had done that enough for one night. Standing up with her gloves back on, she followed him inside silently.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Hans held the door open for Elsa, as they went inside the ballroom again. Despite Elsa's declining, Hans went to the ballroom's bar to get Elsa a drink. He hoped it'd help calm her nerves. At the bar, the foreign bar tender pulled out glasses, ready to make him the adult beverages. Without knowing, He sat next to Dr. Weselton on the red stool.

"Sorry about that scene I caused back there when I dropped Elsa," He apologized.

She laughed, loosened with alcohol, "Oh, Hans. That didn't damage the company. I just feel sorry for Elsa since it obviously embarrassed her." She regretted that she pointed out how badly Hans had made Elsa feel. Dr. Weselton changed the topic: "I saw those flowers you picked her. I thought it was very sweet." Elsa stood by their dinner table across the room alone, playing with the petals of a rose. Dr. Weselton waved her hand in the air gesturing to the whole room, snickering, "Everyone did! You know, she really likes you. In fact, she loves you."

Hans nervously chuckled, "Well, 'love' is a strong word."

"Indeed, it is. I can tell from the way she looks at you," the silver-haired woman announced. She pushed up the falling strap of her black gown.

"Like tonight? Yes, I remember hearing that." He mentally applauded Elsa for what he thought was superior acting skills.

"No, I mean all the time! Even at the office. The girl's in love," Dr. Weselton preached.

"She's been doing it even at work? But back then we weren't... wait." Hans bore a confused look on his face. The bartender placed his orders in front of him. Hans scoffed, "You're joking right? That can't be true. I mean we weren't _seriously_…." After realizing what he said could suggest his relationship is a lie, he corrected himself, "I mean, we weren't seriously dating back then. We were just casually dating back then. It doesn't mean anything when she does it, I'm sure." He finished the last of his liquid courage before readying himself for the new glass of wine.

"Hans, trust me. I'm a woman. I'd know. She's in love with you and has been for a very long time."

Tired of the lonliness, Elsa walked over to join them. Not expecting Elsa to be behind him, he accidentally knocked over his red wine on to the bar counter. He sheepishly apologized, as the bartender groaned with frustration. Elsa squinted at his new jittery behavior, although she wasn't sure why he was behaving like that.

Elsa innocently presented, "I think we should try talking to other companies. We're here to represent, remember? The charity ball is almost over, and we still haven't spoken to anyone." Still in shock over Elsa's untimely arrival, Hans hesitated going with her.

Dr. Weselton agreed, "I think that's a very good idea. Get at it, you two." Elsa grabbed his muscular arm, making him follow her across the ballroom. His heart raced at the coquettish way she wrapped her arms around his bicep. It wasn't in his plan for her to actually be in love with him. It was one thing for Elsa to fall for him, but if he were to fall for her, his whole plan to climb to the top would be ruined because he'd have a weakness: she would _own _his _heart_. Trying to dismiss his worries, Hans complied with Elsa and chatted with a few companies. The way Elsa kissed his cheek, the way she looked at him, the way everyone warned him of her love for him… It all added up to him. Distracted by his calculations, Elsa had to do most of the talking. She tried to include him in the conversation, but it was clear he lacked focus. Hans thought about the idea of Elsa loving him. He used to tease her saying she did every time she handed him reports, but he never thought she ever was actually in love with him. He just enjoyed bantering with her. Although, he did find her personality interesting, and he always found her beautiful. The things he mentioned about her at the dinner weren't lies. There wasn't any girl he felt like he understood more than Elsa. He suddenly felt nervous around her. It changed everything about the way he thought about Elsa. He didn't want to love her back. He wouldn't allow it to happen. Too much was depending on his plan. _Stay focused_, Hans mused to himself, as Elsa wrapped herself around his arm to display their fake relationship. He wondered, if she had clung to him in that way the whole night. Had she swayed with him on the dancefloor with a fondness past friendship without him noticing? He figured he began to over analyzing his faux girlfriend. Elsa couldn't possible love him, he theorized. Dr. Weselton could be wrong. If Elsa really looked at him the way they spoke of, then how come he never noticed it before? Elsa usually acted like she could barely stand him. His bad boy attitude annoyed her every core.

"I noticed the Wellington's company was really intimidated by our donation to the charities tonight," Elsa mentioned to him. Glancing around, he noticed they we no longer in a crow of businessmen. The two had wondered to the outskirts of the crowd, gaining privacy. He felt determined to take this rare chance alone with Elsa to talk to her before Dr. Weselton could interrupt. Engrossed by what occupied his mind, he didn't see Dr. Weselton hiking towards them.

"Elsa, I have to ask you something that's been bothering me," Hans sighed. Elsa grew baffled at how distracted Hans sounded, unaware that his mind romped over images of her. She figured it could be important business information that he wanted to share. Dr. Weselton walked faster towards them, finally in his range of sight.

Unaware of Dr. Weselton's presences, Elsa began, "Is it about us faking-"

"Shh!" He smooshed his hand over Elsa's mouth. Confused and upset, she pushed his hand off of her. He looked over the top of her head to spot Dr. Weselton.

"Hans!" She scolded.

"Stop talking."

"Don't shush me! I don't care how many fake relationships we get into! You just can't do that to me!" He had to think quickly in order to stop Elsa from ruining the whole plan. Hans quickly grabbed Elsa's waist to pull her closer. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes, leaned down and kissed her. Elsa released a shocked, high-pitched noise. She held her breath, and she dropped the roses in awe. Dr. Weselton stopped in her tracks, also surprised by the spontaneous kiss. She wasn't happy about the couple publically kissing at a work-related event, but she wasn't going to draw more attention to it by trying to separate them. It was the first time in Elsa's life that she felt like time had stopped. It was her first kiss. Her heart beat so quickly she thought the whole world could hear it. She never expected her first kiss would be from her rival. She couldn't figure out why he kissed her when it seemed like no one even saw. It astounded her how much she actually enjoyed him kissing her. She wished she felt repelled by it, but she didn't want it to end. For once in her over planned life, she decided to just let things happen. Her eye's fluttered shut. She could taste champagne from his lips. He pulled her even closer by her waist, deepening their kiss, afraid that she might finish her sentence the moment he freed her lips. As her uneasy hands neatly rested on his chest, she felt his chest taking in a slow, deep breath. His hands around her waist loosened their grip, finally freeing her to pull away from him anytime she wanted. Hans expected Elsa to try to shove him away. Instead, she grabbed the lapels of his tux causing him to lean into her more. He became shocked that she had the courage to kiss him back. He was more surprised in himself by how much he liked her taking charge. He softened his kiss and slowly dropped his hands off of her waist. Hans broke their kiss. He rested his forehead against hers, fighting the appetite she sparked in him. He pulled away gently and saw Elsa still had her lips slightly puckered and eyes closed. Her hands slowly retreated back into the shelter of her lap. Her eyes soon opened and met his. Dr. Weselton's attention had been stolen by her husband trying to tell her something.

"Oh, no." Hans whispered to himself. Elsa had kissed him _back. She is in_ _love_, Hans thought. He felt it in her kiss. She kissed him like she wanted him. He licked the sticky, lip gloss residue off of his lips. There fell a silent beat before either of them said a word. Both of them glared at the floor, refusing to acknowledge what had happened for minutes at a time.

"Why did you just...kiss me?" Elsa fumbled through her words. She clutched her blue purse hurriedly.

"I, uh…" Hans mumbled.

Afraid of facing reality and of ruining her first kiss, Elsa cut him off, "It's getting late. I should head back home."

"Right. I, um... Me too. Same here." He ran his fingers through his hair. He wanted to say more but became unable to think of anything. "Goodnight, Elsa."

"Goodnight, Hans," she swooned. Elsa turned around promptly and walked outside into the parking lot with a grin wider than he had ever seen before. He kneeled down to pick up the roses Elsa had dropped. Most of the petals had fallen off of the roses. Standing up to walk away, the intern that had talked with him earlier shook her head. She crossed her legs, judging every inch of him with her glare. Hans was unaware until then that she sat at a table near by watching the display.

The brunette moaned, "Tsk, tsk. I'm _so_ ashamed of you, Westerguaard. You're still playing with that poor girl's heart. You really have no limits in business climbing, do you?" She stood up and walked into the crowd until Hans lost sight of her among the people. Hans stood there trying to fathom the idea that Elsa was in love with him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Hans stood in the empty hall way of his workplace alone with Elsa. The lights brightly lit the white lights, glowing in contrast with the grey carpet. He thought about what Dr. Weselton said. He stood there quietly with his thoughts racing in his head. As much as the thought humored him, stealing her heart wasn't part of his plan. He planned on climbing to the top of the corporate ladder with or without her. Either of them having feelings towards each other could delay, or worse ruin, his plan. Elsa read a document, not noticing his stare. They stood in the hallway because Hans asked her to be alone with him to talk. Elsa, always focusing on work, kept going through the document, since Hans didn't bother speaking yet. The only sound they could hear was the clock on the wall ticking.

Unexpectedly, Hans whispered, "We're still in a pretending relationship, right?"

Elsa hummed, "It would be beyond obvious to our boss, if we suddenly stopped."

Hans rubbed his fingers through his red hair, embarrassed about what he wanted to say. Despite his conscious warning him not to, Hans expressed, "About last night... When we..." He took in a deep breath, cutting to the point, "Remember that kiss?"

"You mean when _you_ kissed _me_?" Elsa defensively corrected.

Trying to sort out how he wanted to phrase it, He spat out, "Elsa, I'm sorry about that. I had to because-"

"I don't want to talk about it," she easily dismissed. Hans was taken back at how much she suddenly sounded repelled by the idea of it.

"You say that like it was a bad thing?" Hans questioned, since at the ball she certainly didn't react negatively to their embrace. Hans pushed fists in his grey suit pants, trying to figure out what Elsa thought.

"It wasn't," she analyzed in a science like manner. A blush grew on her face, and she once again skimmed through her document. "Let's not talk about it anymore, please."

"Wait, am I missing something?"

Elsa fused, "Why are you still talking about it? Enough. Now can I go back inside?"

"Did I say something wrong? I don't understand why you sound mad about it because at the time you didn't seem to..." He tried to avoid the uncomfortable word _love_. He continued, "You didn't seem to... mind."

"Just drop it," she hissed.

"Why are you acting like this?"

"You were my first kiss, okay!?" Elsa blurted, still keeping her stressed eyes on the document. "You shouldn't have kissed me. You never even asked me or warned me, so please don't mention last night anymore. I'm busy, and I don't want to think about it."

Hans smirked, "No way."

"Why are you so shocked? I'm sure lots of girls in their twenties haven't been kissed before!" Her embarrassment leaked through her voice. She regretted admitting her secret to him. She angrily glanced to the side, no longer able to look in his direction. He always made her feel vulnerable. She never could tell, if he actively tried to make her feel that way, or if it was just her own fault.

"No, it's not that. It… It just didn't seem like I wasn't your first kiss at all. You're a pretty good kisser," Hans softly said, not wanting to be loud enough for anyone to hear. Blushing at his words, she kept her eyes on the ground. She actually felt elated that he kissed her, despite her current rejecting mood. She only regretted the embarrassing conversation that it created between them now. Fumbling with a loose strand of her hair, she tried to conceal her nervousness. He looked from side-to-side, ensuring no one was around to hear them. He leaned in closer to her, as close as he had at the ball. She pressed herself against the wall, unable to create enough space between them. He glanced to the side once more then brought his attention to her. She mentally braced herself for a kiss that never came.

"Elsa, are you in love with me?"

"Whoa, what!?" Elsa stammered, disappointed she misinterpreted his movements.

He continued, "I felt like you might be because of that kiss. The way you kissed me back... Elsa, I thought you knew that this was all fake. I promise I wasn't trying to play with your feelings. I just need you to know we can't really be together."

"Are you actually say this right now!? You're the one who kissed me! You have the nerve to lecture me about being in love with you!?" Elsa almost shouted.

Hans justified, "You're telling me you kiss every guy like that? I don't buy it." He paused when he remembered Elsa hadn't kissed any other men before.

Elsa scoffed, "Hans, you think too highly of yourself. You think I actually wish I was in a relationship with you? You? I'm not just sitting here like one of your side girls drooling over you."

"Side girls?" Hans repeated. Did she think he went around from girl to girl and that she was just another number to add to his list? He never noticed all of the women who looked his way the way Elsa had. True or not, he couldn't think of a single good reason for Elsa to care. The idea of her being jealous seemed too preposterous to consider. She held herself to high standards, placing work and education before family, friends, and love. Despite the way she pulled him into her at the charity ball, and her mentioning of him seeing other women, envy didn't seem like something a girl that determined could experience.

Elsa continued, "You're the one who kissed me! How could you even ask me that?! If you're expecting me to fall victim to your mind games, you're wrong! I know you, Hans. Trust me, I could never fall in love with someone as dishonest as you. Just do me a favor and leave me alone!" Her voice cracked on the last word, as if she was about to cry. Hans grabbed her hand to keep her from bolting away, holding it to his chest the way he did every to calm this past girlfriends. She dropped her document on the floor. Their fake relationship had just started, and he felt panicked that he already managed to get them into their first couple fight. Elsa blinked repeatedly, preventing any tears from leaving her eyes. The sound of an elevator bell rang, but neither of them noticed.

"Elsa, please don't cry. I'm sorry," He desperately hushed. Elsa whipped around to leave only to find her he anchored her in place. She jerked at her hand, unable to escape his grasp. She turned to face him and unexpectedly slapped his face, causing his face to turn to the side. After a few seconds of shock, he looked back at her, realizing it wasn't just sorrow she felt.

Elsa challenged, "Don't tell me what to do, don't fake apologize, and let me go!" He let go of her hand, and touched his stinging cheek. He always viewed Elsa as a shy, prude girl. It surprised him that she worked up the courage to slap him at all. Although, he thought he didn't deserve it.

"And don't kiss me ever again," she commanded, while storming away from him until she left his sight.

The mysterious intern from the charity ball strolled out of the elevator doors dressed in all black. She slowly clapped her hands.

"Wow, I don't know exactly what you did, but I'm certain you deserved it, Westerguaard."

"How much of that did you see? Why are you even here?" Hans puzzled, still rubbing his sensitive cheek.

"For _you_. I'm here for _you_," the brunette emphasized.

"Why?" Hans ignored the other questions his brain urged him to ask.

"To blackmail you. I figured I wouldn't keep this secret for free."

Hans squinted at her, unsure of her goal, "Well you don't have to keep the secret at all really." He crossed his arms across his broad chest.

"You want me to tell everyone that your relationship is fake? Disappoint your boss because you're both liars? Ruin the company's name? Get you black listed from any company you ever try to land a job at again? I can do all of that," she laughed.

"What do you want?" Part of him wished she would rat him out, so all of the drama could end. Hans knew he couldn't really risk letting her tell.

"You're going to tell me everything about that 'girlfriend' of yours, and I mean_ everything_. You see, I need help digging up some dirt. It's been harder than I thought doing it alone. After seeing that slap, you're probably going to need to gain her trust again to do that. But you should know, I'm not going to be willing to wait on that."

"Why would you care about her? She's only an intern." This woman didn't even know Elsa's name yet, and she looked ready to destroy Elsa's life.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out. No questions. No negotiations. Just do it. If you think this is the only thing I have to destroy you with, you're wrong." Hans' mind raced over what else she could have to blackmail him with. His loved ones? Despite his large family size, he didn't have any of those. Elsa? He wasn't even that close with her. He figured his brothers would be the first to betray him before this mysterious young woman could.

Hans sighed, "So your boss is up to something dastardly?" Hans carefully examined the parts of her face not covered by her sunglasses. She smiled and rested her brunette head on his shoulder, her waves flowing down her back.

She whispered into his neck, letting her lips graze his skin, "It's too bad you're enemy. You're almost my type." She left his body and entered the elevator again. _Mind games_, he thought.

Later that day, Hans and Elsa didn't say a single word to each other. It seemed no one in the office noticed their feud. What concerned him was the way Dr. Weselton stared at both of them when she whenever she marched by. She would dart her eyes between Hans and Elsa, then disappear again into her office. Dr. Weselton appeared to have something important to say to both of them, but she never would speak. Something was going on. Hans tried to make eye contact with Elsa from across his desk, but she ignored him. When he gave documents to her, he put sticky notes with "Sorry :(" written on them. Elsa threw the notes in the trash without even reading them. She wouldn't communicate with him anymore. Her feelings blossomed more for him by the second, unwillingly distracting her from her job. Falling in love felt terrifying and falling in love alone felt worse. She repeated in her mind that it couldn't be more than a small crush, and it would just take time for it to dwindle away. She decided to be done with his manipulation. When closing time came, she struggled with her fluffy, white coat, purse, and car keys alone.

"Do you need help?" Hans offered, walking side-by-side with her.

"No, you may not help me, and I think you should go," Elsa stated firmly. He put his hand in front of her to stop her in place. She groaned, realizing he wouldn't give up easily. Keeping Vanessa's commands in his mind, Hans placed his free hand on her coat, eager to chivalrously swipe it away from her.

"Can I at least just walk you out?" Hans pleaded. Elsa figured, if he must walk her out, then she might as well take up his first offer and let him carry her things. She put her heavy purse and thick coat in his arms and marched out the office door without looking at him. She found her way to the elevator and pressed the button. She didn't wish to speak with him, but it seemed like Hans had something important to tell her from the way he kept glancing at her with a worried expression. They waited in silence for the elevator to arrive to their floor. She sighed, wondering if she should stop ignoring him. She attempted to view things from his point of view. He simply asked her, if she love him only. He even tried to apologize for his behavior. This lying game put him at stake too, and he did help her at the ball somewhat, to tell the truth.

"I don't know what's on your mind, but I don't want to hear bad news. You clearly want to talk, though. What is it?" Elsa spat. Hans bit back the urge to mention that brunette intern. Elsa wouldn't handle it right. Plus, could he trust Elsa? He seemed to already trust her more than he planned. Trying not to mention the blackmail, he thought of something different to say.

"You never answered my question," he redirected. "Are you in love with me?"

"I shouldn't have to answer that," Elsa blurted. She regretted opening up the conversation.

"Elsa, just tell me. I'll leave you alone, I swear. I just need to know."

"How's your cheek? Feeling better?" She hinted at his deserved slap.

"Answer me."

"No," Elsa shot back.

"Why not?"

"I-I meant my answer is 'no'. I don't love you." She wasn't sure that she was being honest. "Are you asking because you love me?"

"Elsa, I don't believe in love." He shook his head, smiling at the ridiculous idea of him being in love.

"Then why would you think I could love you? Wasn't that true love's kiss you claimed you felt?" Elsa stabbed, regretting she let him walk her out.

"If anyone could love someone, I'd imagine it'd be you," he reasoned. Elsa felt her cheeks heat up from blushing. She didn't understand how he thought Elsa was a loving person when she never had shown him mercy in the past. Her own sister would disagree with Hans, if she were there.

"But I've been nothing but cold to you ...and everyone else?" Elsa murmured, guilty of how distant and aloof she grew up to be.

"That's not true." The elevator doors finally opened. It was empty, which meant their uncomfortable conversation had to continue inside of it.

Elsa digressed, "How are you so sure true love's kiss isn't real? _Prove it_."

"Fine. I don't know how, but I'm sure I'll think of something." He couldn't conjure up facts or evidence for his claim, so the ride remained silent. Their dispute didn't feel as heavy as before, but Hans still had yet to remedy it all. Life used to be easier when kissing her to distract her was still an option. Hans helped Elsa slide back on her coat, since it snowed. The pulled the coat higher on her, letting her arms slide into the sleeves. It felt awkward for her to have a man touching her. She'd watched men help their wives with their coats in movies for years, but she didn't imagine a man would do it for her. Still standing behind her, he dangled her purse above her. She snatched it, clinging to it dearly.

"Thank you," she added. She couldn't understand him, and worst of all, he seemed to understand her. She felt humiliated that he thought she loved him. He's just acting, Elsa told herself. She believed, if Hans truly knew her, he wouldn't be able to ever fall in love with her. He wouldn't say she's affectionate to feel love herself, too. She deemed herself the most unlovable person there could ever be. Her flaws certainly outweighed any good qualities she could ever posses. Remembering their past conversation, she grew frustrated again. He looked desperate to say something to her, as Elsa put her gloved hand on the door handle. He couldn't let Elsa leave mad at him. His future goals and opportunity depended on their fake relationship. They were a team now. Despite their constant bantering, he'd never had Elsa this resentful with him before. Elsa waited for a moment before leaving, hoping he'd finally get whatever he thought off of his chest. He didn't say a word, but only looked outside the glass door at the slow, white snow. With the door slamming behind her, she decided he wasn't worth her time. Her anger rose again, upset that he built up her emotions in a single day. He didn't even have the audacity to wait until after work to rile her up.

"Wait," she heard him call after her. He noticed the tension want needed to demolish it. She spun around, watching him jog up to her. When he reached her, he breathed, "You said to prove it. True love doesn't exist, but since you're the only one who could ever love someone, if such a thing existed... This is the only way I know how." Hans ditched his whole speech and took a step closer towards her. He cupped her face in his hands. Could he be attempting to kiss her, or did she just misinterpreting things again? When he leaned his face down to hers, she gathered where it headed.

She protested, her face still held in his hands, "Hans, I told you you're not allowed to kiss me." Ignoring her words, he kissed her deeply. She told herself to push him away, but she never did. Confused, her arms hesitated by her sides. Holding her pale face to his, her eyes closed. His gloved hands warmed her cold face. He had no consideration to be careful not to smear Elsa's dark, winter red lip gloss. He did a series of slow kisses, breaking for less than a second before he went back in for more. The sound of their lips fusing and breaking was the only thing audible around them. Nature itself silenced. She could taste her own lip gloss on his mouth. His tongue slipped into her mouth, causing her to drop her purse in shock. She read in books of men French kissing women, but it didn't feel anything like she expected. Knowing Elsa was inexperienced, Hans darted his tongue inside her mouth again, purposely exposing her to the new move. What started as a way to distract her, morphed into Hans forgetting his motive. He lost himself in her touch. Liking his bold move, she opened her mouth letting Hans's tongue slip in between his kisses. His tongue felt wet and unexpectedly reached out to touch hers. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair and to hold her gloved hands, but he only held her face to keep her lips from leaving. Unlike last time, he didn't give her a chance to pull away until he finished. She never even tried. When he finally pulled away, he hovered his lips over hers again for a moment, eyes still shut. He slid his hands down to her shoulders. He felt like he could kiss her again, but decided against it. She wanted to feel angry at him for kissing her against her consent, but she didn't feel anger. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Her nervousness returned because she feared he'd know how much she enjoyed his kiss: her fatal mistake repeated. It never occurred to her that he did as well. Looking at the tall man before her, she started to giggle with her hand covering her smile. She pointed up at the uneven, smeared red lip gloss all over his mouth. He placed his glove to his mouth. When he removed it, he noticed Elsa's lip gloss printed onto him. He smiled, realizing how ridiculous it must have looked. So many questions raced through her head. Instead, she did the thing she did best: stay quiet. He took off his scarf and wrapped it around her as he noticed her shiver. With his neck exposed, she stared at the pink lipsticks mark on his skin left by the blackmailer. Her expression became serious. He was unaware there were lipstick smudges on his neck, nor that his scarf had been the only thing hiding it. Oblivious to Elsa's discovered, he kept smiling at her. The internal questions Elsa had shifted. How many other girls had he been with today? And, of all scandalous places, on his neck? She stayed with him almost all day, since their desks weren't too far; how did that happen? That pig, that disgusting pig, Elsa mused. With her new knowledge, she couldn't believe she wasted her time by asking him if he loved her. She frowned and thought of the other girl...or girls. Someone else who also shared him.

"See?" He panted, still out of breath from his kissing spree. "True love's not real," he concluded. His heart beat quickly. He secretly hoped hers was too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Hans was called into Dr. Weselton's office alone. He felt nervous, by the urgency of the meeting, that perhaps he was caught in his lie with Elsa. Her office proved to be extremely large and well decorated. Nothing personal sat on her desk, not even a picture of her husband, which Hans found odd. He sat in a wide, padded, black, leather chair that somehow still felt very uncomfortable, despite its obvious luxury status. Dr. Weselton had a clip board in her hands.

"Nice to see you this morning. Glad to be here?" She asked, not looking up from her writing. If he was in trouble, could this be a trick question? He watched her black pen swivel on the page.

"Of course I am," Hans smiled. Or was he not supposed to be glad?

"Do you know why you're here?" She murmured in a serious tone. Her pen kept scratching notes.

"I haven't the slightest," He gave in.

"Oh, even more fun. I love surprises. Don't you?" She quizzed. Why wasn't she looking at him? Hans slightly tilted his head to the side, as if he couldn't figure out her tone, if he did. She burst, "Lighten up! It's nothing bad! Actually, it's something...different. Kind of _crazy_, to be honest."

"I love crazy," Hans added. Dr. Weselton took off her glasses and touched his hand. She was never one to ever make physical contact with people. She sighed, figuring out how to approach what she wanted to say.

"Hans, you may not remember, but at the charity ball you and Elsa spoke to someone I didn't want you, at the time, to speak with." Hans looked at her hand that squeezed him the way a distant relative who barely knew you might. It was a cheap attempt to be friendly, but only came across as strange. Did she know about that intern who blackmailed him? Could this have something to do with that? Dr. Weselton took her hand back when she saw Hans' confused expression.

"Hans, you spoke to one of our investors. The man elderly man with that serpent cane he always carries. He said he was so moved by your relationship, he's considering investing ten million dollars to the company in honor of our branch. He mentioned something about how he seeing you and Elsa together made him feel this company was like a family business with wholesome values or something of the sort."

"_Ten million dollars!_? Wait, I'm sorry, ten million dollars!?"

Dr. Weselton nodded and added, "Yes because of you two. He hasn't given us the money, yet. I think we really need to seal the deal. I can't have him back out of this. This is everything, Hans. We need to provoke him to actually donating. We're throwing a company dinner that he's invited to. Other sponsors, investors, and branches will be there. This is our chance to get him to commit. Do you know what I want you to do, Hans?" He kept wondering why Elsa wasn't in the room, if she was technically involved.

"...To talk to him again?" He whimpered, confused. The pressure mind bottled him. Ten million dollars because of the off chance he and Elsa decided to pretend to be a couple. He couldn't understand it. Dr. Weselton tapped her pen on her clipboard.

"The only way to seal this deal for sure is if you were to propose to Elsa in front of him at the company's dinner. This man is an absolute sucker for young love. He can't get enough of you two."

"You want me to be engaged to Elsa!?"

"Yes," Dr. Weselton said nonchalantly.

"I can't do that," Hans panicked.

"You're going to do it. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."

"I... What!? But Elsa and I haven't even been dating that long. You want me to... I can't! I don't even have a ring! What if she says 'no' when I propose!?" Dr. Weselton then pulled out an opened ring box from her drawer. The black, velvet box contained an engagement ring covered in white diamonds. It contained 20 carats of diamonds.

"Trust me. She won't be saying no to this. Courtesy of the company," Dr. Weselton bragged. "Hans, I couldn't tell Elsa with you because we both know she could screw this up or back out. I need you to try not to tell her. I'll let you know when the time is right to let her in on this. This has to go exactly as I planned. If all goes well, I can promote both of you to practically any position you want. No more internships." Before Hans could ask for anymore questions, her phone rang. The caller ID listed it as a private matter, so she requested for him to leave. Hans kept the ring box in his pocket. The job of the keeping the ring safe became a new burden. Dr. Weselton counted on him with all the cards she had left. Hans started to feel nauseous and walked outside the entire workplace without saying a word to anyone. He leaned against the wall of an empty hallway that lead to the lobby area. What had he gotten himself into? Elsa could tell from his face something went wrong. She followed him out, halting when she sensed a greater distress than she presumed. He didn't notice Elsa had followed him until she spoke, causing him to jump back.

"Hans, what happened in there? Did she find out?" Elsa twisted the tail of her blonde braid, fearing the worst.

"No, no. She's clueless. I just needed some air," He breathed tiresome. He slid his back against the wall until he sat on the grey carpet.

Elsa whispered hurriedly, "What did she tell you? I can tell you're hiding something." Elsa neatly sat down next to him, swinging her legs elegantly to the side. He shook his head, as he pulled one knee to his chest, and his other leg laid completely straight. He was usually more talkative than her.

Elsa sighed, "Okay, so you clearly don't want to talk about it because it's upsetting you. Let's talk about something else to keep your mind off of it. What's something that makes you happy? Like maybe your family? Didn't you say you had a brother before?"

"Twelve," Hans groaned. "Twelve older brothers. And if you're trying to cheer me up, it's not working. Three of them pretended I was invisible. Literally. For two years." He rested his head against the wall with the dull look never leaving his gloomy, green eyes.

"Hans, I'm so sorry. If it makes you feel any better, things with my sister, Anna, haven't been the best either. Of course, it was mostly my fault. I love her, but we aren't that close. Our parents' death didn't help that either." Her plan to distract him worked, but now he was distracted with something he hated more: his family.

"Being with my brothers is just... something else. Being with them just makes me feel more useless, worthless, and unwanted than I've ever feel with anyone else. My family centers on the oldest, best sons." His words last words stung at Elsa. He needed someone to be there like family, but not like family. It made her think of Anna. Although it bothered her how Anna grew more likable than she could ever be, she thought of how Anna never shut her out. No one had knocked on Hans' door. No wonder Hans constantly wanted to climb to the top. In the work world, he stood a chance at standing out and being accomplished. Hans sighed, realizing how much he revealed, "That was bitter of me. I shouldn't have said any of that."

"No, don't be sorry. I had no idea about your brothers. I don't mind listening. It's kind of nice to hear about you. The real you," Elsa boldly admitted. It became a privilege for Hans to be heard, and this was the first time he felt like he was. Elsa tugged on her braid again, avoiding his dreamy face that turned to her. She swallowed back her nervousness. Elsa pushed through her embarrassment to comfort him with her honesty. Seeing him vulnerable and distraught stabbed at her heart. Unexpectedly, Hans patted Elsa's knee, drumming his fingers above her black dress-pants.

"You're a good friend," he assured.

"I'm your friend?" Elsa's eyes widened, watching his hand pet her leg fondly. "Like real friends?"

"Yeah," Hans laughed. "Real friends. Like slumber party level."

"Stop! Can you have an honest moment without making fun of me for one second!?" Elsa hit his shoulder.

"Okay, okay! I meant it. You're a great friend and everything," Hans corrected.

She softly replied, "Okay. We're friends. I guess we'll have to be to survive this lie together." Despite Elsa's kind words, Hans somehow felt worse by the fact she had to justify it. They were no longer enemies, at least. Hans' phone vibrated with a text. He reached into his pocket, and the ring's box fell out of it without him noticing. His text came from a "private caller". It must have been his blackmailer because it wrote, "We're meeting tonight. I'll find you. Don't try to find me. Don't forget your end." Elsa broke their heartfelt moment by changing the topic.

Elsa frowned, "What's this?" She picked up the box, rubbing the black velvet against her thumb. Hans dropped his phone in his lap when he noticed. Panicked, he reached for the ring box, but Elsa held it farther away from him.

"Elsa, don't! It's personal! Just give it back to me," He pleaded.

"Relax! I just I want to see what's inside. It feels weirdly heavy. Is it a ring? Who's it for?" The diamonds made the ring box heavy, but there was no way for Elsa to know it was a 20 carat ring inside.

"No one," He fretted.

Elsa dismissed, "Just let me look at in it first!"

"Since when are you intrusive?" Hans reached for the ring once more, but Elsa jerked it away.

"I'm your 'girlfriend.' I get to see poke my nose in everything you do now," Elsa snickered. She lifted the tiny, black lid only to have Hans slam it back shut.

Elsa whined, "Stop! I just want to see it!"

"You've never been so feisty. What's gotten into you?" Hans questioned. Elsa raised eyebrow with a mischievous smile. Her purple tinted eyelids taunted him, flashing her gaze towards the secret item. He was right. She epitomized the good girl stereotype. For this moment, for this small moment, Elsa thought, _that perfect girl is gone._ Although this was considered rebellious for her typically behavior, she knew it couldn't possibly be that wrong to look inside a forbidden ring box.

"Elsa, give it back, or I'll make you," He warned, reaching once more in vain for it.

She threatened, "Make me." She crawled away from him with the box in her fist. Shouting behind her, "I'll give it back eventually. Just let me see what's in it!" Worried, he pulled her by her leg, causing her to fall into her side with a small scream. He dragging her body closer to him.

"Stop trying to steal it! What's wrong with you?" she laughed. She didn't expect him prevent her from looking inside of it this desperately. Crawling over her body, her waist laid between his legs. He clasped her wild hands but couldn't pry the box away. Elsa yanked the box back towards her chest, while he still held onto it, causing him falling on top of her roughly. In a push up position, he faced her giggles.

"Elsa!" He chastised.

"No! You can't have it!" She shouted back. They both rolled over, trying to steal it from one another. If Dr. Weselton found out that Elsa even saw he had a ring box, she'd be infuriated. Laying under her, He finally ripped it out of her grasp. Long pieces of her hair slipped out of her braid.

"Hans, give it back! I found it fair and square. You won't even tell me who it's for or what's inside." She sat on his chest pinning part of his biceps down with her knees making it hard for him to move.

Elsa squealed, "You totally stole that from me!" Still laying on his back, he propped himself on his elbows, causing her to slide down to his hips. He laid on the floor with Elsa sitting on his hips, leaning her chest towards his in an attempt to reach for the ring box. Neither noticed the inappropriate position they worked their bodies into.

"Elsa, I know you think it's funny, but you have to promise not to tell anyone you ever saw I had this box."

"I never even opened it, though?" Elsa sobered up.

"It doesn't matter. Just, promise me, okay? You didn't see this." Still in the same position, he shoved the box back into his pocket. Sitting on top of his hips, she nodded. She leaned her hands on both sides of him, ready to stand. A fellow coworker, hearing the thuds and grunting they made earlier, came out to see the commotion. The coworker stopped in place, staring at the compromising position they paused in. With Elsa on top of Hans, pelvis-to-pelvis on the floor, it clearly looked like the famous office couple were publically having sex during work. His hair tousled, and his tie severely loosened. His breath still heaved from wrestling. Elsa's suit wrinkled, and her shirt newly untucked itself.

The coworker gasped and ran back inside the office muttering, "I saw nothing! I saw nothing!" Elsa immediately climbed off of Hans, fathoming what the coworker thought he saw. She shot straight up in the air, tucking her loose hair behind her ear. Hans stood too and tightened his tie.

"This never happened," Elsa whimpered, soothing down her hair. She remembered the lipstick smudge on his neck from the day before. Elsa started thinking of the mystery side girl, who gave it to him, sitting on his pelvis the way she just did. Only this mystery side girl of his probably wouldn't have done it by accident. She imagined the other girl would have dug her hips into his, taking advantage of the position. She weakly straightened her jacket, trying to forget the conjured image. Next, her memory darted to Hans kissing her in the snow. The way he held her face, the way he dared to slip his tongue into her, the way he leaned his lips into her to deepen his kiss, and the way he deliberately ignored her demands for him to never kiss her again. Elsa thought about how her kiss wasn't enough to stop Hans from thinking _true love doesn't exist._ She started to wish it did exist. Elsa zoned back into reality.

"Agreed." Hans adjusted his black suit jacket, after he stood up with his hair still tousled. His phone vibrated with another text from his blackmailer.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Hans readied his fist to knock on Dr. Weselton's door, but it was already propped open. He didn't book an appointment with her, which she always required. He decided he'd take his chances.

"Yes?" Dr. Weselton swiveled in her tall, desk chair to face him. Her round, glasses balancing on the very edge of her nose. Hans slowly walked inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He took out the ring box from his pocket and placed it on her desk gently.

"I can't do this," he confessed.

"Hans, wait. What's wrong? Take that ring back."

"This whole fake proposal idea is... It's too far. I almost lost the ring today," he admitted. He didn't want to mention that he almost lost the ring to Elsa. Elsa, of all people. That would just cause Dr. Weselton to go into a rage. He stood straight, refusing to sit.

Hans began, "You want me to be engaged to Elsa. I just can't-"

"Not engaged! Simply... Simply just propose! There's a difference. Well, at least not _really_ engaged," she interjected.

"What happens after that then? Do I have to get married to her!? How long before that investor figures out this is all fake?"

"No, you don't have to marry her! You're missing the point! I couldn't care less, if you two really want to get married or not. All you have to do is publically propose to Elsa. To keep the façade, she simply wears the ring every day. It's easy. There are no holes in this plan. You're being irrational. Now, take this thing back off my desk." He didn't make a move towards the ring.

"There are no holes!? There are plenty of holes!" He argued.

"Ten million dollars will not be lost over this. Keep in mind, your job is on the line over this. Even though Elsa doesn't know it yet, so is hers." Before Hans could say anymore, the petite secretary walked in and told Dr. Weselton her next appointment arrived. The moment the secretary left, an extremely tall man in his late 30's entered. He easily appeared to be 7 feet tall. The strange man wore patterns of Nordic swirls and stripes, which looked very odd in the office setting. Hans tried to study his unfamiliar face. He a read beard, and wore a squared, tiny, green hat.

"Yoo Hoo! There's my sex goddess," the man purred in a Norwegian accent. He marched over to where Dr. Weselton perched. He ignored Hans' presence completely.

Dr. Weselton controlled her sensual gusting in front of her employee, "Hans, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to go. Don't forget to take the ring with you." Hans quickly swiped the ring and left her office, desperate to avoid that disgusting display. He wished he didn't take the ring, because that meant the plan was still on. He worked so hard for a chance this easy to climb to the top, but now that he had it, he realized how much lying drained him. He originally wanted to sabotage Elsa, making himself look like the hero who fixed everything, as she famously screwed everything up. But ever since that ball, he had a hard time ever bringing himself to do it. He never had someone have such a hold on him, and he hated it. The more he got to know her, the more he abandoned his original plan. Despite having been at work all day, he hadn't actually done anything except for argue between Dr. Weselton and Elsa. He decided actually working would take his mind off of it all. He swarmed over Elsa's desk to get paper work from her.

"Do you still have those forms from yesterday?" Hans piped up. His phone vibrated with another text from his blackmailer.

"Of course!" She opened her drawer and gave him the papers. "So who keeps texting you?"

"I don't know. It's probably nothing important," he dismissed, straightening the stack by tapping it on her desk.

"How could you not know? You've answered all of the messages you've been bombarded with. Who is it?"

"Nobody," he reported peacefully. Elsa closed her black drawer, she squinted at him. She placed her elbows on her desk, propping her chin on her hands.

"Why do you keep hiding who it is?" Elsa restated.

"I'm not hiding anything!" Hans pushed her questions away.

"Then tell me who it is."

"My brothers?"

"They talk to you?" Elsa lifted her face off her hands, considering the odds his family feuding ended.

He lied, "Sometimes." His fingers nervously drummed on the pages. It bothered her that he wouldn't tell her the truth. Whenever Hans hid something, it was never something small. It always would be something tremendously important. He avoided her quizzing and took the forms away with him. As closing time came, Dr. Weselton approached Hans' desk with the same tall, red-bearded man. She gave Hans a one hundred-dollar bill, laughing as it he exchanged confused looks with Elsa across the room.

"Elsa dear, come here. Hans and I talked about how you two didn't know each other too well, so why don't you two go out tonight? On me." She patted Hans' shoulder twice and walked out of the room with her new male friend. Hans toyed with the crisp dollar, and Elsa scurried over towards his desk.

"She's been using company money on a lot of weird things lately. This definitely is on the list." Hans examined the portrait of Benjamin Franklin on the green bill.

Elsa interrupted, "You've been talking about me in your meetings with her?"

"Not... the whole time," Hans sheepishly digressed. Why did Dr. Weselton have to mention that? This forced company date was a ploy tied to the future wedding proposal.

Hans continued, "Where do you want to go?" Not being one to explore the city, Elsa let Hans pick. He ended up driving her to an Italian restaurant straight after work that night. They stayed in their business suits. It was the first time the hung out outside of something work related. They were seated at a candle lit table with ivory table-cloth. The restaurant had a few other guests scattered here-and-there. She grinned excitedly, reading the menu's elaborate dishes.

Hans laughed, "Why are you smiling? Does the food really look that good?"

"No, I... it's nothing," she sheepishly dismissed.

"What is it?" He playfully asked. "I'm dying to know what put you in such a good mood."

"Well, I've just never been on a date before. It's just... never mind. I'm sorry," Elsa embarrassedly mumbled.

"Elsa, it's fine. You don't have to be perfect all the time. It's okay to be excited over something. You know that, right?" Elsa bit her lip, quietly nodding that she understood. Her fingers traced the glossy menu, bouncing from gourmet meals to exquisite desserts.

Hans continued, "I'll walk you through your first date. Well, first you have to sit here, and tell me how handsome I look. Then I get to talk about great I am the whole time, and you just agree and nod the entire time." Elsa dropped the menu faintly to cover her grin from giggling. Her big eyes sparkled with laughter for the first time in years.

She happily sighed, "So this is what a date is like." After they ordered the strangest things they could find on the menu, Elsa cracked another giggle again. She pushed her fork into her Escargots de Bourgogne. The slimy snails stuck to her silverware.

Elsa cheerfully spoke again, "It's nice that one of your brothers is talking to you again."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Hans found himself regretting ordering the Tête de Veau, even if it was for a joke. The head of a calf proved to be his least favorite dish.

"I thought that was your brother you were texting?"

"Oh, right! It was. He's great. We talk about..." He tried to imagine what his brothers would say to him. What did normal brothers talk about? Was it the same conversation two friends would have? Was it supposed to be overly sentimental topics of family love like in the movies?

He took a while before answering, "We were just talking about my horse, Sitron. Did you know my family owns race horses?" Elsa shook her head.

Elsa tamely grinned in excitement. "Wow, I've never seen a horse in person before. They look so beautiful in pictures, though. I'm sure yours is lovely."

"What!? Now you have to meet Sitron! You'll love him! He's really friendly."

"I'd like that," Elsa quietly gushed. She bit her lip, thrilled.

"Let's go right now," Hans insisted. He waved in the air, signaling he was ready for the bill. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"Now? No, I-"

"Why not? Dr. Weselton said we had to get to know each other." Before she could refuse, his cellphone rang. The caller ID showed a private caller. He forgot he was supposed to meet his blackmailer tonight. He silenced his phone. It could wait. Besides, whatever information this blackmailer wanted him to collect could ruined, if she kept interrupting his bonding with Elsa.

"Brothers again," Hans smiled sheepishly. After he paid the bill, Hans drove her to his family's massive horse ranch. There wasn't much lighting except for the moon and a few light posts, and Elsa felt timid that she didn't know the area too well. From what she could see, the lush, green grass was well taken care off. Mosquitos bounced from the blades of grass, and owls hooted in the oak trees. Afraid, Elsa made sure to stay close to his side. They walked over to a long line of clean, wooden stables that only had one horse inside of all 13 slots.

"Is this where you live?" Elsa squeaked, afraid of the giant horse that stood before them. Hans swung open the wide, wooden door that blocked the horse from leaving. Its head hovered much higher than Elsa's, and its body looked fit and strong. She imagined how easily it would be for the creature to murder someone just by stomping on them. Its thick hoof scratched into the ground.

"No, this is just my family's ranch. It's just one of the many pieces of land we own. I know your family is pretty wealthy, too. Don't you have a ranch?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't leave home very often," Elsa shyly admitted. With her parent's passed away, it would be difficult for her to find out. Her aunt helped her with the finance details, since the burden became too much for the young woman to tackle solo. Hans' colossal horse stomped out of the stable. It had the equipment already on it, which she imagined couldn't be very comfortable for the horse. Perhaps, someone rode it not long ago. The horse's loud whinny made Elsa back away in fear. Horses weren't the docile ponies she'd seen in innocent, fairytale paintings as a child. Its huge eyes met hers, and Elsa hid behind Hans' tall back.

"Meet Sitron. He's friendly. He won't hurt you," Hans promised. He took one of her hands delicately, bringing it in front of him. Her body pressed into Hans' back, hiding from the beast. She closed her eyes in trepidation, as he brought her reluctant hand to touch the soft coat of the horse. Her palm pressed into the heat of Sitron's back, and his hand rested on top of hers. His touch comforted her, reminding her that he wasn't leaving her alone. Lifted her hand off of the horse, and tenderly placed it back down at his side.

"See? He's not a bad guy," Hans reasoned.

Elsa's voice shook, "It's just that it's so... big. It's very beautiful, though."

"Let's go for a ride." Before Elsa could decline, he pulled her in front of him. He lifted her in the air, causing a small gasp to escape her. He placed her on the saddle, making her panic that she sat on top of a horse. He placed his foot in the stirrup, lifting himself up. He sat in front of her, and she let out a quivering breath.

"Hans, I-I don't know. I've never ridden before," she rasped, heart pounding in her chest. She felt the horse's hips shift under her, making her eyes widen at the unsteady sensation. Sitron began trotting, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his chest in horror. She clasped her hands together in front of him and buried her face into his should blade. Elsa didn't want to see how high they were off of the ground. She could feel the horse shifting its weight on each leg, making her sick to her stomach. Hans could tell Elsa was afraid, so he pulled the reins until the horse slowed its pace. Sitron languidly walked them around the land, passing oak trees and clovers. The ranch's scattered lights lit the way. Sitron stepped near a lake that reflected the moon's beams.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she could feel his words as they vibrated through his back when he spoke: "Elsa, it's okay. I won't let you fall." She inhaled his scent of his faded cologne, his familiar qualities calming her. She guiltily felt his back muscles flex and tense to keep balance as the horse shift its weight. He wasn't her real boyfriend for her to press against him like this. In fact, Elsa suspected he might belong to someone else based off of the time she found a pink lipstick mark on his neck.

Elsa timidly answered, digging her hands into his abs, "I trust you. I just don't think your horse likes me very much." Sitron grunted, as if it were confirming its dislike for Elsa. Quietly hugging Hans' back, she closed her eyes relishing his aroma. Then unexpectedly, Sitron jerked its head, so Hans lost hold of the reins. Hans pet the horse, but he only made it more thrash more. Elsa screamed, almost slipping off the saddle. The horse started to buck, causing them both to panic. On Sitron's last buck, Hans and Elsa were separated and catapulted in the air. They traveled a short distance, and fell into the nearby lake with a splash. Sitron took off running, but couldn't escape since the entire ranch was gated. Elsa opened her eyes under the green lake water and could see the moon glowing above the surface. She glimpsed around her, finding it too dark to see what swam near her. When Hans came up for air, he saw Elsa coughing water next to him. Before he could ask her if she was okay, she swam away in search of land. He followed her, swimming towards the shore. Hans crawled into the shallow part of the lake, accidently swallowing the murky water. Elsa weakly stood, her eye makeup, smeared from its place in a black halo effect.

"I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?" Hans coughed, standing next to her. Each footstep out of the lake made sloshing splashes. They walked onto the grass, clothes dripping wet.

"It's fine. I'm okay," she winced as she limped. Putting pressure on her weak ankle, Elsa collapsed onto all fours. Her ankle throbbed, making her consider taking off her damp, ruined, high-heels. Elsa moaned in pain, "Maybe we should just sit here for a second." He knelt next to her, placing his hand on her wet shoulder. Feeling like he failed her, his face bore a worried expression.

"You're hurt. I should take you to a hospital. This was all my fault. I-"

"Hans, I'm fine. It's not that bad of an injury. I think it's just a sprained ankle. It just hurts to walk a little."

"I ruined everything," Hans regretted. "I shouldn't have brought you here. I should take you home."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. I'm okay. I actually kind of had fun tonight," Elsa murmured with pain still in her voice. While crouching down with her, he scooped her up in his arms, unexpectedly. Standing tall, he carried her bridal style. Another whine escaped her throat, since the whole lifting process caused her ankle to shift. Elsa wrapped her arms around his shoulders and neck in fear he could drop her. She felt self-conscious, worrying she could be too heavy to carry. Without a struggle, Hans began walking the long distance back to their car. Her wet braid bobbed against her back with his every step. He carried her the way she had read about in fairytales. She wished she wasn't wearing a soaking, ruined business suit. Her ball gown would be preferred in her ideal fantasy. She blushed lightly, savoring the moment of him being her knight in shining armor. Riding a man proved to be much more enjoyable than riding a horse. He quickly found his way to his car to Elsa's disappointment. It wasn't as silent of a ride as she thought it'd be. Hans spent the entire ride apologizing and checking on her comfort. After she assured she didn't want to go to a hospital, he gave up. It was pitch black outside because it late, so Hans drove her to her home. He helped her limp to her front door. Her arms draped around his neck once more. She hoped, if she limped enough that he'd carry her again, but he never did.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to a hospital?"

"No, it's fine. I promise," Elsa dismissed. They stood in front of her mansion's front door. She released her hold on him, no longer needed him to balance.

"Worst first date ever, huh?"

Elsa quickly answered, "No! I had a fun time! I mean it. I never ate at that restaurant before. Is it new?"

"No, it's been up for a while. Actually, I've had a lot of dates there." There was an awkward pause. Why did it feel weird telling Elsa that? He remedied, "...But, only that one mattered." Elsa bit her lip, not noticing the sound of her wet braid still dripping. Hans cleared his throat to reduce the romantic tension. Elsa promptly reached out her hand for a goodbye handshake.

"Goodnight, Hans." He stared at her with a confused expression. He hesitantly took her hand, shaking it awkwardly.

"Oh, uh, goodnight, Elsa."

"Is that not how most people say goodbye after a date?" Elsa slipped her hand out of his with uncertainty based off of his reaction.

Hans smiled at the floor, trying not to mock her, "No, but it's fine."

Elsa declared, "Well, I want to learn. How is it normally done?"

"I guess it depends on the guy," He shrugged.

"Okay, then what would _you_ do?"

"Well, if it was _me_ on a date with _you_, I'd take your hand and come closer to you," He then leisurely took a step closer to Elsa and took her soft hand. She started feeling butterflies in her stomach at the contact. Clearing her throat, she waited eagerly for his next instruction.

He continued, "I'd then tell you how beautiful you looked." She blushed, and her free hand balled into a fist out of nervousness. He let go of her and instead placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "I'd tilt your face towards me, and I'd lean in." He slowly leaned in, and Elsa batted her long eyelashes shut. She held her breath, and her heart vigorously beat through her chest. He stopped right before her lips, tormenting her. The wait only built more anticipation. His hooded eyes glossed over her, taking in the sight of the impatient, young woman before him.

"And then what?" Elsa whispered. She felt his grasp on her chin tighten when she spoke. With her eyes still closed, she swallowed.

He in a low, hushed tone, he finished, "Then I'd kiss you." He removed his hand off of her chin. Still breathless, she opened her eyes in perplexity. He took a step back from her to her disappointment. Internally sulking, reached behind her for the door knob.

"Goodnight, Elsa."

"Goodnight, Hans."


	8. Chapter 8

AN: I don't know how to else to say this, but this chapter might get_ a little_ nsfw. Just a little. I wanted to warn anybody in case it could make someone uncomfortable or whatever.

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

As Hans drove home a few days later, his cellphone kept ringing from calls by the private caller. Frustrated by the pestering ringing, he answered the call. Before he could speak, the voice interrupted him.

"Where were you?" His blackmailer hissed.

"Busy," he dismissed.

"Busy!? Are you forgetting I can ruin your life!?" She shouted. Hans didn't respond.

His blackmailer continued, "Tell me everything you know so far about Elsa." As he thought about it, he discovered he knew a lot more about Elsa than he realized. He knew about where she lived, her romantic life (or lack of one.) He discovered she hated horses. The girl adored receiving flowers, and she couldn't dance to save her life. He felt like he knew her well enough to accurately guess her biggest weakness. He frowned suddenly. He couldn't aid his blackmailer without ruining everything for himself in the long run. The information he was asked to give would obviously hurt the company that he was now finally climbing the ladder in. His future career was hopefully destined in this company. He had invested so much of his time in it. He thought of Elsa. If he was going to be "engaged" to her, sabotaging her would only sabotage him as well. Besides, he started to like Elsa, which bothered him. Elsa's presence proved to be more interesting than he though. They joked together and started getting along. With beautiful, long, blonde hair that she hid from the world in a bun, she fascinated him.

"I can't," Hans concluded.

The blackmailer howled, "Bullshit! You know a lot about her! Commit to your end of the deal or else!"

"The deal's off. I want out."

"What!? You can't back out now!"

"I'm not helping you."

"Why are you saying this suddenly!? Are you in love with her or something!? You know you're relationship is fake, right? God, men are so stupid. They believe their own lies," she growled. He hesitated before answering. The question threw him off.

"No. I-"

"You're pathetic! You're forgetting I have more than just that secret on you, but fine! Too late! You backed out. You're going to have to pay for it now," she spat. Before Hans could say a single word, she hung up. He thought of other possible dirt she had on him. He figured she merely bluffed. He imagined what Dr. Weselton might do, if she found out that the relationship was fake the whole time. Dr. Weselton did want him to lie about the engagement; would his boss hypocritically care, if he and Elsa were just lying a bit earlier than her? He sighed, hoping his blackmailer really was bluffing.

* * *

The next day at work, Hans lurked by Elsa's desk. He held his phone in his hands for the sake of keeping his nervous hands busy. Elsa could tell he wanted to say something, but the moment he opened his mouth, Dr. Weselton asked him to go inside of her office. Left his cellphone on Elsa's black desk and went inside of Dr. Weselton's office. The phone vibrated with another text.

"Hans, I think you have a message." She looked up and he had already left. She got her pen and paper and started to fill out paperwork she was supposed to finish yesterday. She felt the small vibration of his phone through the table. She glimpsed around the office only to find her coworkers paid no attention.

"It's just his brother," she whispered to herself. The phone vibrated again.

Elsa mumbled sarcastically, "Probably just one of his brothers who shut him out and haven't talked to him for two years. Just like he promised." She frowned at her computer's screen, unable to focus on her work. She took out her a pen and paper, jotting down notes for later. Pressing on the pen too firmly, it slipped out of her grip, landing near the corner of her desk by his cellphone. She bite her lip, reaching for the phone. He wouldn't know.

"I should probably check it for him incase it's important," she justified to herself. She dropped her jaw as she read the texts.

* * *

"How was that date?" Dr. Weselton polished her glasses. He had never seen her without glasses. Although, there was nothing askew with her features, something felt odd about Dr. Weselton without her eyes framed. He took a seat in the uncomfortable black, leather chair.

"I accidently hurt her ankle, but other than that I think we had a good time. Thanks for treating us out."

"Is that why her foot was wrapped?" She examined at her polished nails briefly with a lack of genuine concerned for Elsa. "I just needed to make sure everything is going to plan," she admitted.

"When does Elsa get to know?" Hans asked.

"Well would she say yes to marrying you right now?"

"What? Of course not!"

"Then we're not ready," she spouted. She placed her glasses back on her face. "Son, I'll make sure that you are the first to know when Elsa gets to be filled in. For now, go back to your desk and do some work. Oh, and Hans? Whatever you do, you have to stay on Elsa's good side. I know she's your girlfriend and loves you regardless, but this has to go perfectly." Hans nodded. Boy, was she wrong, he thought to himself. He had already asked Elsa if she was in love with him, and Elsa denied it. When he came out of Dr. Weselton's office, Elsa jumped. She put his phone back down on the edge of her desk. Wandering around, he looked for his phone in his desk drawer, where he always kept it. He then checked his empty pockets with no luck.

"Elsa, Have you seen my... Oh, found it." Hans walked over to her desk, reclaiming his lost cellular prize. "I thought I lost it for a second." Elsa tried to look unsuspicious. Sitting straight, she pretended to by typing on her keyboard. The messages she read in his texts bothered her. Giving in to the temptation to confront him, she sighed.

"Hans, can I talk to you alone?" Elsa nervously glanced at the door. Hans nodded, confused. They stepped outside of their workplace into an empty, white hallway. Elsa closed the door behind them.

"You've been lying to me," she blurted.

"What?" He had no idea what she referred to, but his heart started to nervously beat faster. Seeing Dr. Weselton before meeting Elsa didn't help to calm his nerves. The tone in Elsa's voice gave away how upset she felt.

"I read your texts!" Elsa confessed with fury. She reached for her shoulder to nervously tug on her long braid, forgetting her hair was in a bun.

"Oh, no. Elsa, wait. Let me explain."

"You're cheating on me!?" She stormed.

"Wait, what?"

"Do you know how bad this looks for me!? Do you know how easy this exposes our fake relationship to be...fake!?" She jealously looked back down at the cell phone he clutched in his hand.

Hans scoffed, offended that she snooped through his cellphone and that she unfairly accused him. "Elsa, calm down. I'm not doing anything."

She raved, "You can't just date other girls behind my back like this!"

"We aren't even really dating! You can't tell me who I can't date!"

"Why not!? It affects me too, Hans!"

"Because none of this is real!"

"So you admit it?" Elsa huffed.

"No! I wasn't with any other girl besides you this entire time." Still skeptical, Elsa snatched his phone out of his hand and opened his text conversation with his blackmailer.

Elsa began to quote the texts, "'Meet me 2nite. Need u.' Here's my favorite: 'don't tell ur girlfriend about this.'"

"It's not what it looks like."

"Who is she?"

"Elsa, why did you even go through my phone?"

Elsa sighed, distressed, "This morning. Your phone wouldn't stop vibrating. I couldn't help it. You were so suspicious about who you were texting." Hans wondered if his blackmailer sent the messages as the first part of his punishment. If she did, there would be no way for her to know Elsa would read it all.

She spouted, "We're breaking up! I don't want to date you anymore. I-I don't even want to fake date you." Elsa's eye watered, so she looked to the ground to hide it. She felt angry at herself for letting her emotions get to her, but she felt more enraged at Hans. This situation was the exact opposite of what Dr. Weselton had told him to do.

Frustrated, Hans begged, "Wait. You can't quit. Please, not now. I promise I wasn't with any other girl."

She barked, "This girl is the one who left lipstick marks on your neck. Isn't she? That day you..." Elsa crossed her arms to help keep her composer. The lump in her throat kept her from speaking smoothly. She breathed, "That day kissed me outside?" Trying his best to remember that day, Hans suddenly had a flashback of his blackmailer pressing her lips to his neck between threats. He wasn't sure why, at the time, but he felt she was up to something. He was right. Taking too long to answer, Hans thought of ways to explain he didn't cheat on her without admitting he worked with a woman to leak her information. Elsa took his hesitation as a sign that it was true.

Hans stammered, "Elsa, I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"I already know. Don't bother. I'm not interested in your lies," Elsa hushed with an unsteady voice. Friends don't lie to friends. Friends don't make deals then break them. Friends also don't kiss each other, but they already broke that rule. Friends certainly didn't kiss each other then go around, dismissing monogamy.

"It's a complicated story, but it's not like that at all!" Hans reasoned.

"Please, stop explaining. I'm done," Elsa commanded, betrayal dripping in her tone. She stormed back inside the workplace. She plopped in her desk chair, typing furiously on her keyboard. Hans came in shortly after she did and sat at his desk across from her. She refused to look acknowledge anything beyond her desk in order to avoid eye contact with him. She felt enraged and that he would be willing to ruin their plan so easily. It hurt her to know she wasn't alone to keep his interest. His mind and bod wondered to another woman, who probably gave him more than she ever did. Elsa had started to think he might like her, but she now dismissed the idea of that ever happening. She felt like a fool, disappointed and humiliated. They went the rest of the entire day not talking to each other. A few times, Hans had glanced her way, but Elsa ignored him. When work ended, Elsa drove straight to her mansion. Later that night at home, the forlorn, distraught blonde watched a movie alone in her living room. Her sister had left for the night with a group a friends. Elsa bitterly hugged the pillow to her chest, having no friends to spend the evening with. Since her parents died, Anna was the only one who shared the mansion with her. The sisters barely spoke to each other, though. She felt like Anna was more of a roommate than her sister. Occasionally, her distant aunt would visit to make sure they were doing okay by visiting. Tonight, it was just going to be Elsa and the silent white walls. She curled up in her blue jeans and long-sleeved, purple shirt. Her hair draped in a loosened bun that she could never bring herself to wear in public. Hearing an unexpected knock at the door, Elsa stood up to investigate. She opened the heavy, white door to find Hans standing there with a stuffed, large, brown paper-bag in his hands. Elsa cocked an eyebrow, wondering what on earth he was up to.

"How did you know where I live?" Elsa slowly asked.

Hans brushed off the question, "I dropped you off here last night, remember?" Elsa crossed her arms, glaring at him bitterly. He looked like he'd been busy since work had ended, since he still wore his dark, grey business suit.

"Elsa, I'm sorry about earlier. Can I come in?"

"The fake relationship is over. Go away." She tried to slam the door, but he blocked the door from closing any further with his foot.

"I was hoping I could change your mind," Hans grunted, the bag growing too heavy for him.

"No, I don't forgive you."

"I brought you something. It's an apology gift. Let me just set it down for you," Hans persisted. Elsa finally stood back and let him walk inside her home. He placed his bag on a nearby marble table in her living room. His eyes scanned the well decorated home. Leather furniture, silk pillows, a crystal chandelier, and elegant vases and art work scattered. He pulled out three tall bottles.

He cleared his throat nervously, "I didn't know what you liked, so I got three. There's whiskey and chardonnay." He picked up the clear bottle in the middle. "This vodka is my personal favorite." The bottles themselves looked elegant, decorated in swirls and clear logos. By the appearance, they seemed like quality beverages. Elsa stared at the bottles, unsure how he thought this would make up for what he did.

"I think you should go," Elsa sighed. She covered her forehead with one hand, not wanting to argue any further.

"At least let me stay for one drink?" He hoped he'd get her forgive him and reestablish their fake relationship before he left. He assumed alcohol would do the trick. Drunks usually were friendly, loving people, and those were the qualities it'd take for her to forgive him.

Elsa caved in, "Fine. Just one." Taking the alcohol with him, she showed him her kitchen. He placed the bottles on the kitchen counter and scavenged her cabinets for cups. After finding glasses, Hans poured three glasses of each drink for her. She never drank before, despite being twenty-one. Not wanting to admit it to him, she raised the vodka to her lips nonchalantly. It had an awful, bitter taste that she didn't expect. She groaned in disgust after tasting it. She scrunched her nose.

"Too strong?" Hans laughed at her reaction. She recoiled a second time, an aftershock of repulsing flavor hitting her taste buds.

Elsa croaked, "Just a little. It's fine. I'll just calm down the taste with this." She picked up the glass filled with whiskey.

Hans warned, "Then I wouldn't drink that if I were you." Elsa choked on it the moment she swallowed it. It tasted even worse than the first one. Hans leaned on her counter, snickering at each facial expression she made. It nauseated her. She couldn't understand how he, or anyone, could enjoy these beverages. He opened her refrigerator door, rummaging around until her found passion fruit juice. He poured the sweet juice into her vodka. She realized her goal to look experienced and refined was shattered by her own gagging.

"This will make it taste better," he smiled from the corner of his mouth. She hesitated, wondering if watching her grimace from the foul taste was a game to him. He watched her experiment with the drinks amused by silently guessing which one she'd choke on next. Elsa decided she liked the taste of the juice in her vodka, but only the taste of the juice. The vodka slightly ruined the fruity flavor. It reminded her of the flavored liquid medicine her mother used to make her drink as a child. Regardless, she didn't want to make herself look like she wasn't able to handle alcohol. She grew determined to take all the alcohol down without any more gagging to regain her sense of honor and maturity.

Remembering the sight of the living room, Hans jested, "So you were just going to watch a movie alone? Is that how you spend your Friday nights?"

"Anna had to go somewhere. I don't like being alone, so I sometimes turn on the TV just for the sound." Elsa finished the rest of her cup, hiding her disgust in the flavor.

"I didn't know you liked horror movies. Me too." He tried to assess how angry she might still be. "I have an idea: we drink every time the main character makes a bad decision."

"Deal," Elsa quipped. She grew bored and lonely before he arrived. A new game and someone's presences felt like a refreshing change for her. Sitting next to each other on the living room couch, they tossed jokes back and forth. The victim in the movie ended up making a lot of bad decisions, always opening the door the murderer hid behind or choosing a bad hiding spot. They had to refill their cups many times. Elsa and Hans drunkenly sipped more due to their own rules. She hadn't been intoxicated before, and it concerned her how loose she behaved. They both laughed at parts of the movie that weren't even funny. A scene appeared with pop music playing in the background as the killer stalked the victim. Hans started to sing along, slurring the words at some point.

"I didn't know you can sing! Wow," Elsa giggled, tipsy.

"And you and IIIIIII," he laughed, as he sang the lyrics. "I don't know this song that much. Ugh, I'm so hungry."

"I can cook!" Elsa shot up and ran to the kitchen with Hans following her. The horror movie still echoed in the background. With poor balance, Elsa leaned onto the counter for support. Hans dug through her refrigerator, taking out each item of food he found inside. He picked up malformed pepper, and Elsa dug through the cabinet disorderly for pans.

"Hey, it looks like Weselton's husband," he snorted.

"Yeah, but it needs glasses!"

"Her husband doesn't have glasses? We saw him. The crazy tall guy with the ginger beard. Ginger beard man. Ginger bread man." Hans enjoyed his own play on words. The alcohol gave her a headache, and her bun only made it feel worse. Elsa tore her hair-tie out, shaking out her waves with her hand. Hans was mesmerized from watching her hair waterfall down her back.

Hans continued, "He was calling her a 'sex goddess' in our meeting. It was so awkward."

"Wait, that's not her husband! Her husband is the short man with glasses! He sat next to her at the... um... that party, ball thing. You met him," Elsa fussed. She broke five eggs into a pan and turned on the stove. She left the egg shells to be cooked into the pan as well. Uselessly, Elsa forgot the pan off of the stove, on the counter. She finished another glass of white wine, proud that she proved she could in fact handle alcohol like a regular adult. She couldn't remember how many glasses she drank.

"So she's having," Hans leaned on the counter behind him to keep himself from staggering. "She's having an affair at work! That's so crazy!" Feeling daring, Elsa decided to start a food fight. She took an egg and threw it at him, but she missed her aim, and it hit the wall. The crunching sound caused both of them to go into a laughing fit.

"Pffftt, you're not even... You're not even good at throwing anything, Elsa." She put down the carton of eggs. She opened a bag of flour, grabbed clumps of the powder, and threw it at him. Soon, they threw random pieces of food across the kitchen. The kitchen ended up looking like an abstract work of art. Applesauce made its way to the ceiling, and raw salmon slid across the floor. They ruined almost everything in the room with ketchup, except each other. Their liquored aim spared them both of the filth. It was a mess that would require a maid. Skipping towards Hans, Elsa slipped on an egg yolk. She held on to his torso for balance. Being intoxicated himself, he didn't have the balancing skills to keep both of them up. She fell to the ground pulling Hans on top of her laying body. They both snickered hysterically at their fall. She wondered why she found everything so funny, staring at the white flour on his cheek. In the mist of their fun, they enjoyed each other's company.

"I love you," she chuckled. "Like, I really love you. Like a lot."

"Don't love me," he warned. Although his drunken mind felt thrilled to be on top of a beautiful, blonde girl, he rolled off of the female temptation. He turned his face towards her. "It'd make things easier for you, if you didn't."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Elsa barked back, like an enraged teenager trapped in an adult body.

"I didn't cheat. I did… I mean, I didn't cheat on you. Ha, 'didn't' is a weird word." He kept losing his train of thought.

Elsa blurred her words, "Do you like her? Because I'm sure she's prettier than me. It's always those hot girls who text like that."

"No, I don't. I'm with you. I'm not stupid enough to ruin our plan by dating another girl at the same time. I-I've been thinking about it for a while. I think I love you. I really think I do. I wish I didn't, though. Elsa, please don't love me anymore."

"Stop telling me what I can and can't do," she whined. She studied his hooded, green eyes. Even when intoxicated on a kitchen floor, he looked regal. His family's wealthy bloodline came through in his princely face. He was so handsome, it was painful. It became difficult for her to look at him most times. Her heart would race faster than any horse he ever owned could. Only while intoxicated had she granted herself permission to soak in every inch of the tall, attractive man before her. She glanced at his lazy smile, feeling the urge to kiss him. She thought that she might have tried, if Hans didn't start speaking again.

"But Weselton said you wouldn't love me until you saw the ring?" Hans rubbed his eyes from exhaustion.

"What ring?"

"Oh, no. Oh, no. You, you don't tell her, but it's all for you. It's a secret. A secret proposal. Elsa, I'm hungry still. Let's go somewhere." Thirsty, Hans sat up and took another sip from the whiskey bottle her found on the kitchen floor.

"You're proposing to me!?"

"Shhhh." He put a finger to her mouth, not wanting the nonpresent Dr. Weselton to hear her.

"Ha! Hans, you're so stupid! I don't even understand you."

"I'm going to propose to you," he slurred his words. "You didn't hear it from me." Her state of mind prevented her from keeping up with any conversation. She still felt dizzy from the fall. Standing up staggering, they tried to avoid stepping on the food they had thrown.

"So you actually love me, Elsa?" Hans wanted to confirm.

"Why, why didn't you kiss me on our date?" Unable to focus on a steady topic, Elsa digressed with a sad tone. "I know I'm not supposed to, but I wanted you to kiss me. I waited. I really waited for you," she admitted drunkenly. He watched the sorrow stricken girl pout. She felt deeply upset over his goodbye on their date. Her blonde hair swished over shoulders, cascading beautifully. He roughly pushed her against the kitchen counter, kissing her deeply. Elsa's hands slipped into his hair, lightly tugging on his strands. She normally lacked the courage, but tonight she wasn't herself. He lifted her hips on the counter, letting her sit elevated, so they'd be closer to eye level. With Hans standing between her legs, she wrapped her legs around his hips. One of his hands inched up her thigh as the other hand held her waist. She shocked herself by how much she wanted him to touch her. He bit her lower lip softly and squeezed her thick rump. Wincing at his aggressive behavior, she tasted the burning whiskey on his tongue. Still standing between her legs, he started to lightly move his hips rhythmically against hers. He broke their kiss, moving his mouth around her neck. He kissed a spot behind her ear, and her voice hitched with the contact. She still clung to his hair, holding his face down onto her neck. With shallow breathing, her hips began to instinctual move against his. It scared her that her body knew exactly where she wanted to be touched. Lust took over her clouded conscious. He leaned on the counter with one hand, kissing her fiercely. She could tell he grew aroused because she felt a thick, hard bulge through his pants, against her pelvis.

With their bodies in sync, he slowly dug his hips into hers, causing her to gasp, "Hans!" Her legs automatically tried to close upon the feeling, but only ended up squeezing his body forced between her legs. Wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders, Elsa attempted to cope with the sensation he gave her. Her breath quickened, as his hips continued to roll into hers. His hand inched higher up her thigh, sensually rubbing the fabric of her jeans. Burring her face into the crook of his neck, Elsa had the urge to press against him harder. She felt his back muscles flexing every time he lightly thrust into her. An aroused whimper escaped her, causing him to grind his hips deeply into her. She fought the urge to moan by biting his neck lightly to occupy her mouth, but a small moan still escaped her lips. His hands abandoned her thighs, as he reached down to take off his belt. He struggled with the buckle, but he finally slipped it off. Sweating, Elsa watched him tug at the waist of her jeans. He found his way to her zipper, hungering for her. Hearing the sound of someone opening the front door caused him to drop his belt with a clinging sound. He paused in place, his hand still on the zipper of her jeans. Someone else's muffled voice slipped through the walls. The panic killed the mood.

Elsa whispered, "Oh, no. I-I think my sister might have come home early. She can't know you're here." She prayed Anna wouldn't come into the kitchen. They heard Anna go into the living room, turning off the loud TV. The movie had automatically started to replay itself. How many times had it replayed? 7 minutes later, footsteps of Anna going up the stairs into her bedroom vibrated. With the creaking bedroom door closed, Elsa finally released a breath of relief. The worry made them forget where they left off. They both looked at each other, sliding their hands back to themselves. She slid off the counter and onto the floor. Eyeing the drink on the counter, Hans sipped the wine thirstily. He didn't realize he had been with Elsa for hours. They easily got distracted again. Elsa stole the wine out of his hands and finished the entire glass.

"You've had enough to drink," Hans jealously hissed, upset that she stole his drink.

"I'm twenty-one. It's fine! I'm an adult. I'm legal. I'm twenty-one, and I can drink as much as I want."

"You're too drunk," he hypocritically judged.

"Shhh," she silenced him, afraid he'd tell on her. "I already told you: I'm a grown up. I can do whatever I want." Time kept flying by. They ran around different rooms of her house, drunkenly chasing each other. They knocked over a vase and a few other pieces of home décor, along the way. Neither of them had noticed or cared for the mess they created. Whenever he caught her in their game of chase, he'd spin her around in victory. Occasionally, she'd kiss his cheek when he won as a prize. At 5:00 AM, they found themselves slow dancing to some old CD Hans had found while running after Elsa. He tried to twirl her, but Elsa kept tripping. Instead, she hugged him closely and swayed.

"I think this song was the one they played at my parent's wedding. That's what my mother used to tell me, at least," tipsy Elsa revealed.

"Does this song make you sad?"

"No, not with you at least. I don't feel sad with you."

"Really?"

Elsa announced, "I'm glad you came. I didn't want to be alone tonight. This house is so big. I hate it. It feels empty all the time. I wish other people were in here all the time, like a castle." Hans held her tighter, stroking her hair. She still felt, but now she felt like a tired drunk.

"You wouldn't want that. Everyone is just so... dishonest."

"That's totally not true," she bickered.

"Yes, they are. Trust me."

"Well, you're not."

"How'd you know?" Hans thought of the times he almost sold Elsa out to the blackmailer. He thought of how angry she became when she read his texts.

"You're the nicest person ever. I know you more than you give me credit." He rested his chin on the top of her head. He had the most fun with Elsa in one night than he had in a long time. If a good time was the most honest thing in the universe, then why did he feel like he was the only liar there?

"Elsa, you're too good of a person." It was a slight warning. Her trust was in him the very thing his blackmailer depended on. When the morning came, they were asleep in an empty, white, oval bathtub. He slept on his back, and she curled on her side. Her head supported on his chest, and his arms hugged her. All three bottles were empty. It was 1:00 PM, and they were hours late for work. Her neck ached from stiffness of the bathtub. Sunlight peaked through the colossal, bay window. She woke up from the bright window light. Her eyes glancing around her, realizing she slept cuddling him. Not wanting to leave the comfort of his body, she tried not to wake him until she finished done savoring the moment. She closed her eyes, feeling him take in slow, drowsy breaths. Unexpectedly, he rolled over leaving her body. Disappointed and hung over, she sat up.

"Hans?" Elsa tapped his back. He groaned sleepily and shifted to his other side.

"Go to hell," he mumbled.

"Seriously?"

"Just five more minutes."

"Wake up!" She whispered louder. He opened his eyes when he recognized Elsa's voice. Still laying down, his eyes darted around the bathroom. Everything in the bathroom was white with a few accents of gold. Unaware of how he ended up in a bathtub, he sat up quickly.

"What happened? Are we still at your house?" His throat felt sore waking up, and his hair was tousled. Looking down at himself, he finally noticed his belt was missing. He tried to recall how it happened, but his mind blanked.

Elsa groaned, "Yeah. I don't remember everything, but I do remember watching a movie... and a food fight. You came over here to say sorry or something." Elsa also remembered him grinding his hips on hers, but didn't think she should mention it.

"Oh, right. Sorry for ruining your kitchen. You don't remember me saying anything else, do you?" He thought of the ring. His memory had a lot of missing time gaps. It bothered him that he couldn't figure out how they'd gotten in her bathtub.

"You said a lot of things, Hans." She shied away from bluntly saying it.

"Like what?"

"I think you said you loved me." Her heart started to race.

"I... did?" Hans swallowed.

Elsa murmured, "You even said something about proposing to me. I can't remember it exactly. Why'd you say that?" He had a worried expression on his face. He didn't recollect any of it. Did he spill the proposal secret?

"I don't know," he fibbed. He looked down at the floor. It was hard to make eye contact with a conversation topic like that. Hans denounced, "I was just drunkenly blabbering about that proposal. I'm not... I wouldn't..." Elsa's face dropped. They both stood up, aching from their slumber.

"Was the other part true?" The part that he loved her? He felt a blush cross his face. He wasn't sure of what to say to that. It'd be offensive and cold to blatantly announce to a girl you'd never love her, especially if she asked. Even if she didn't ask under the pretenses that the feeling was mutual, he couldn't bring himself to cruelly say it. It felt too harsh to say aloud. She grew embarrassed for mentioning it. Saving him from having to answer, they heard Anna shriek at the mess, as she went into the kitchen. They forgot the stove on all night, but no fire started. The broken eggs dried on the walls, the flour pooled all over the floor, and the sour-dough bread scattered in random corners.

"You should leave," Elsa pressured. She climbed out of the bathtub, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She prodded her tangled hair and smudged eyeliner. Although he thought it'd be too weird to tell her, he found it oddly attractive to see her waking-up appearance. He enjoyed her ruined mascara, loose hair, and rested face. She typically dolled herself up modestly. The morning was the raw, untouched version of her. And he was the only guy to get front row tickets to see it. Hurriedly, he picked up his jacket from the bathroom floor.

Elsa croaked, thirsting for water, "Are you going to work?" She covered her eyes with her hands, still not used to the bright sun light. "I can't go like this. I feel awful."

Hans sighed, "I'm going to skip work, too. My head is aching too much." Their hang overs punished them for their alcohol abused night. Hearing Anna shriek once more at the mess, they decided Hans needed to sneak out immediately. They both tip toed to the front door, avoiding the startled little sibling at all costs.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," she mocked. She twisted the door knob slowly, eliminating any chances of creaking. The door opened languidly.

Hans emphasized, "I could say the same for you. You never take risks." They never missed work for different reasons. For Hans, it was his chance to prove himself. For Elsa, because she always followed the rules.

"Work isn't really a place to be taking risks," Elsa justified. Hans stepped on the other side of the door, waiting. He didn't want to walk away yet, not with something still on his mind. She gazed at him, smiling from the corner of her mouth as she reminisce their last night adventures. His sleepy, morning voice mesmerized her. She listened contently, almost closing her eyes at the hum of his speech.

Hans uttered in a meaningful tone, "Speaking of risks, are you still mad at me?"

She shook her head, "I can't stay mad at you forever."

"I think we should stay in a fake relationship for work. We worked so hard on it at the ball. It'd be a waste for us to just throw it all away."

"The deal's back on," Elsa forgave. She added, "Sorry I asked you if you loved me. It was a stupid question." She hoped apologizing for it would make it less tense between them. It only increased the embarrassment.

"It's not stupid at all," Hans accidentally let slip out. Hans felt his stomach sink. He shouldn't have said that. He was afraid to say he loved her out loud. If he heard himself say it out loud, he worried he might believe himself. Her eyes widened, unsure if she understood him correctly. She assumed he couldn't have meant what she thought. They both stared at each other until they heard another nose from Anna in the kitchen. Elsa rubbed her tired eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hans." She closed the door slowly, biting her lip playfully as she watched him disappear behind it.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: ATTENTION to anyone reading this on 10/30/14: I tried re-uploading this and accidently mixed up chapter 9 and 8, so I'm super sorry! It is corrected now. Again, sorry! Carry on reading. I'm just posting this incase anyone was confused.

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**Chapter Nine**

Elsa closed the door. Turning around slowly, she saw her little sister in the kitchen. Anna's green dress was the brightest thing in the room.

"It's nice to see that you're talking again," Anna bitterly jabbed. She clutched Hans' empty wine bottle. As if she was genuinely interested in reading the health facts, she skimmed the label, refusing to make eye contact with Elsa.

Anna continued, "I mean, I didn't even know you talked anymore, Elsa." Still silence. Elsa furrowed her brows in confusion. Why was Anna acting so bitter? They rarely ever saw each other, so Elsa couldn't have given her a reason to be upset.

"So what's so special about that guy? Why does he get to talk to you?"

"What?"

"Oh, is that what you sound like? I wouldn't know. I haven't heard your voice in so many years. I forgot what it sounded like."

"Hint taken."

"Well, that's the first time in forever that's happened. Isn't it?"

"Enough, Anna," Elsa gasped.

"No! Why is it that you would talk to some stranger before you'd talk to me?"

"That's not your concern."

"You didn't even talk to me when our parents died! You didn't even go to their funeral. What's wrong with you! You talk to him!? You...you actually talk to him." Anna looked up at Elsa with a look of desperation. Elsa uneasily shifted on her feet.

"I'll see to it that this mess is cleaned. Excuse me." Confrontation made Elsa feel anxious. She was planning on hiring a maid. She'd clean it herself even, if it'd get Anna to stop shouting at her. Her headache reminded her of how much alcohol she had drunk that night.

"You're going to leave? I don't understand you!" Anna gripped the wine bottle harder.

"I don't know what you want from me!" Elsa noticed she had been frowning and tried to relax her face.

"Just let me in!"

"Fine! Am I letting you in now!? Is this what you want!? I'm talking to you right now. I'm trying, Anna! I've always tried."

"You've shut me out for years! If I'm not good enough to be in your life, then why is he!? We used to be so close."

"I don't think this is the right time to have this discussion." Elsa started to grip her hands into fists anxiously. Her hands begged for something to hold onto. The stress at work, maintaining a lie with Hans, and being in charge of her home and education was too much on Elsa. She feared arguing with Anna would cause her to be more aggressive than she wanted to be. She decided it'd be best to not talk at all than to fight.

"I can't believe you. Of course, you're just shutting me out again!"

"Anna, believe me when I say you're better off without me in your life. Nobody needs me." Anna started to pace the kitchen. Her throat was sore from shouting.

"What did I ever do to you!? I get that you hate me, but at least tell me why! I can't take it anymore! It's like you only see yourself." She stomped her foot on the last word.

"What!? I do a lot for you. I just don't throw it in your face and broadcast it for credit!"

"Oh, so you're a liar? Another thing I never knew about my big sister."

"Why would you say that? That hurts."

"Well, you hurt me all the time, and you never seem to care!" She was angry that she was able to feel so jealous over a boy she hadn't even met, but one time. She had gone to visit Elsa at work and happened to get a glance at all of her coworkers. All of her anger was caused because he stole the affections of her sister. He did what she had always failed to do. She crossed her arms as she looked at her love struck older sister.

"Anna, you're the last person I'd ever want to hurt. You know that."

"Do I? Because I really don't know anything about you." She hadn't even known how long Elsa had known Hans.

"Based off of this discussion, it seems better that you don't," Elsa barked. The words came out harsher than she wanted. Anna threw her hand to the side and pointed to the CD that Hans had found the other night. She stared at Elsa a moment before shouting again.

"You-you're even ruining our parents' stuff! You probably scratched the CD! I saw that you broke a picture of our parents. You just left it shattered on the floor! Who are you!?" Elsa suddenly remembered that she and Hans had knocked over a table, which sent a vase and a few other items on the table crashing to the floor.

"It was an accident!"

"It's like I don't even know you!"

"You know what, Anna? You're right. You don't know me. Just stop all of this!" Elsa felt her hands starting to shake. Anna couldn't stand the idea of her big sister denying her yet again. She had constantly begged Elsa's attention. Elsa knew she shouldn't have shouldn't have acted distant towards her only baby sister, but the confrontation wasn't an inviting environment to open up. Anna looked desperately at her stoic sister for a sign that she cared. Feeling panicked, Elsa turned around to try to leave their argument.

"I hate you!" Anna screamed.

"What?" Elsa winced. She stood in place.

"I said, 'I hate you!'" A long pause. "Say something! Do you even care!?" She waited for Elsa to respond. Elsa didn't move a muscle.

Anna continued with a shaking voice, "I hate you, Elsa. I can't stand live like this anymore."

"I... understand," Elsa mumbled. She looked down at her own hands to avoid eye contact with her angry sister. Elsa turned to try to leave again. Every time she spoke with Anna, they ended up arguing. Elsa may have had a problem with shutting people out, but Anna had a problem with shutting people in. Anna smashed the wine bottle on the floor and left to her bedroom before Elsa could take another step. The sound caused Elsa to flinch. Elsa stood in place for a minute in shock. This was one of the worst fights she had with Anna. In the past, Anna would beg for her attention. Their arguing usually consisted of Anna throwing subtle insults over how Elsa shut her out. Anna had never screamed at her before. She took out a broom and started to sweep the mess as her vision blurred from tears. She covered her eyes with her hands in shame for crying. _Don't feel. Don't feel. _The more she thought of it, the more she felt she and her sister could never get along.

She whimpered to herself, "It's okay, Anna. I hate me, too."

* * *

Three days had passed since Hans last visited Elsa at home. Because they had skipped an entire day, they had a lot of catching up to do at work. Their relationship at work had been awkward ever since he and Elsa spent that drunken night together. Blushing and profusely apologizing every time their hands accidentally touched, catching each other staring at one another then having to look away, unable to muster up more than a few words when left alone together. He felt like it was worse than when she hated him. Even so, he found her constant blushing somewhat endearing. He wondered what must have happened when he was drunk with Elsa to make her so nervous around him. He couldn't remember much. He had already kissed her before, so reasoned that he probably wasn't just a kiss he must have given her. He'd glance at her from afar trying to recall what he must have done in his state of intoxication. Work ended, and he grabbed his coat to go. Sliding into his car exhausted, Hans drove to his mansion. Hans's cell phone beeped, receiving texts from his "private caller" again asking him if he was certain he wanted to back out of the deal. After saying he was sure many times, the texts finally stopped. A few radio songs later, he received one with an odd message he wasn't expecting. He studied it for several minutes flashing his eyes between his phone and the road.

He read the text out loud to himself in confusion, "'K Have fun at home'?" He figured it must just be sarcastic. How did she know he was heading home? When he pulled up to his long driveway at home, he thought of the text again. He suddenly realized something was waiting for him at his home from his blackmailer. How did she know where he lived? How would she make it inside of his house? Was she going to tell his secret to Dr. Weselton before he would step into work the next day? The company diner to impress the investor was approaching. He figured his blackmailer probably knew about the event, but there was no way she could know he was going to propose to Elsa there. His mind raced over the possible things his blackmailer might know about. He started to question how private his conversations with Dr. Weselton truly were.

"She couldn't have come home... No. I'm just over thinking this," he mumbled to himself. His driveway's golden gates with his family crest opened, and he slowly drove past the long strips of green grass adorned with the occasional white rose-bush. He was cautious of whatever could be waiting for him. He drove past a tall, black water fountain and pulled up into the spacious garage. He got out of his car and slowed down his pace as he saw familiar faces approach him. He was greeted by five of his brothers who looked like they were waiting for him to arrive. Hans felt his stomach sink. Why were they waiting on him? He thought of the text again.

"Hans, is that you?" A tall, blonde man leered at him. He had beautiful, but _cold_, blue eyes. "You don't recognize me even?" Hans shifted his weight on his feet as he saw his brothers spread out before him, circling him. "I shouldn't be that shocked, I supposed. It has been a few years since we've... Well I think it's been at least three years. Was it four?" The blonde cleared his throat again, unable to recall the time gap, "Well, I missed you." Insincerity dripped from his voice. His sinister tone almost made Hans want to shutter. The darkness of all five of their intesions was leaking through. Hans glanced between all of their faces.

"What do you want?" Hans finally spoke. He felt his stomach drop. The same familiar voices that once tortured him as a child could still haunt him in that very moment. He looked at his blonde brother with the uncomfortably blue eyes.

"I'm hurt you'd assume I want something from you, baby brother." Hans glared at them the moment he heard the belittling gesture. A different man with darker, blue eyes and black hair kept staring at Hans with a wicked smirk. His hands rubbing together as he studied his youngest brother before him. They all stepped closer, causing Hans to back his body up against his car door with an unsuspected thud. The blonde spoke again.

"Hans, I don't know how to say this, but we were given a grand each by your _friend_. Unless you have more, I'm afraid we're going to have to do what we were paid to do." The blonde balled his fist. "I don't want to have to do that to you, Hans. I don't want to have to do that to our... _number_ _thirteen_." The childhood nickname sent a shiver down his spine. They all smiled at him too sweetly as they moved closer.

"Wait, wait. Who gave you the money?"

"Your friend. She said you'd know who she was," a deeper voice by a redhead in the back boomed. "Unless you pay us more than that, we're going to have to do the job she paid us to do."

"I... I don't have any money with me. I just came back. What did she pay you to do? What job?" He frantically patted his empty pockets in vain. He tried to backup once again, but his body once more bumped into his car's trunk with a thud. His brothers' synthetic grins made him feel uneasy.

"He doesn't have money. Get him," the blonde commanded. One brother held a metal pipe the length of a baseball bat behind his back. He swung at Hans with all of his strength. He ducked, which caused him to shatter the window of his car door. Hans slid on the hood of his car swiftly to escape on the other side. His brother tried to swing it at him again, and hit his windshield this time. The shattering was so loud it caused all of them to jump back as a reflex. The glass trickled like water inside of the car, splashing all over the seats and the floor. With the car alarm blaring deafeningly, Hans ran as fast as he could away from them. Hans tripped and slid across the drive way, scraping the entire left side of his leg through his clothing. His brothers caught up to him and grabbed him by arms and the collar of his shirt. While thrashing around to try to escape, his brothers held his arms and shoulders more firmly. The redhead grabbed the end of Hans' neck and forced him downwards in a bowing position. The pipe was swung at his abs causing him to bend forward from the pain. A cracking sound that sounded like it came from his rib cage caused one brother to wince involuntarily, as if he could feel second-hand pain. His brunette brother with a cleft in his chin stared him down as he tapped the pipe in his hand. He powerfully thrusted his metal pipe in Hans' ribs with every word he said.

"I'm so..."_ hit_. "Very..." _hit_. "Sorry..."_ hit_. "Baby..."_ hit_. "Brother..."_ hit_. Hans yelled in pain. He felt his knees beneath him weaken. His brothers were the only thing keeping him standing. His breath got shallow since it now hurt him to breathe through his battered ribcage. The blonde tilted up Hans' hanging head. Examining his little brother's green eyes, he punched him causing his head to turn towards the left. The blood of Hans' nose staining his fist. Hans could taste his own blood that seemed to be coming from somewhere in the back of his dry throat. The pipe kept violently colliding with Hans' body more times than he could count. Bruised and bloody, some of his brothers turned away from the horrific sight. Hans, still being held up by his brothers by his arms, started coughing out blood. The blonde took his chin in his hand, forcing him to look at all of the brothers who were betraying him.

"Just like good old times, huh? Right Hansy?"

"Are you really going to do this to your own brother? For money that you don't even need?" Hans weakly breathed. The difficulty of keeping his head up was too great. It was a chore for him to try to stay conscious. Feeling his eyelids grow heavier, he let his eyes shut thinking he was going to die.

The last thing he heard was his brother whispering in his ear: "Oh Hans, if only there was someone out there who loved you." Eventually, he completely passed out. When he finally became conscious again, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. His whole body ached. He looked up at the elegant, grey walls and the intricate chandelier. His eyes rested on his family's crest being hung on the wall. He realized he was being dragged inside his living room. Someone's large hands, that wrapped around his chest under his arms, had streaks of dried blood on them. It was painful for his bruised torso to be touched, so he groaned in pain. He didn't have the strength to fight off the person dragging him to what he assumed was somewhere to finish the beating. Finally, the dragging stopped.

"You're awake!? Thank, God," a deep, but youthful, voice said. It sounded familiar. The stranger laid him down on the ground and kneeled next to him. "Hans, are you okay? I mean, obviously you're not okay. I just... I'm sorry. How are you feeling?" Hans focused his tired eyes on the young man who leaned over him. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties with a strong chin and Nordic features. He had one of the most friendly faces Hans had ever seen. After a few minutes, Hans realized he was looking at the face of his older brother, Albert.

"Let me guess, you're trying to help me because you're feeling guilty? How much were you paid?" Hans bitterly accused.

"Hans, I wasn't in on this. I-I just found you outside covered in blood. At least I didn't leave you to die out there like everyone else."

"I wish you did." He swallowed the extra blood still in his mouth.

"How long were you out there?" Albert ignored his nihilism. Hans spaced out as he studied his familiar face. It was an odd idea to Hans that he could look at Albert after all these years and still recognize him. Last time he saw Albert, they were just boys. Now he looked at a handsome, adult version of his brother. Albert was closest in age to Hans, yet they hadn't been friends. Albert was never home growing up. He always left every chance he could. Every time his brothers would get in a violent mood towards Hans, Albert was never there for him. He was somewhere else probably wishing he was in a different family. The only physical proof that Albert was a Westerguaard was his green eyes. Not even his personality matched his brothers'. He had always acted far too innocent and ditzy. Hans always hated him for leaving him to fend for himself. He wondered why Albert was at their family's home now. Didn't he hate this place?

"I don't know," Hans groaned. He sat up, pressing his hand to his chest in pain. Albert's fingers ran through his floppy, loose, brown curls.

"Hans, I think you need to see a doctor."

"I don't have time for that. There's this company event coming up. If I go to a hospital, they might not let me out in time. I have to give Elsa the..." He stopped when he realized how much he was revealing to this man who was still a stranger to him. He might be his brother, but he hadn't seen him in years. Hans thought of how much of a different person Albert could have grown into, not that he ever trusted him before. He realized he truly didn't know him anymore. Hans figured there wasn't any possible way Albert was the same goofy kid he once knew. Albert helped him stand up. Hans limped with his arm around his brother's shoulders for support. How tall had Albert gotten? Albert was only a short boy when he last saw him. It was painful to even walk. Every step sent sharp pain to his battered ribcage.

"Who's Elsa? You work for a company now? How long have you been there?" Albert side-glanced at Hans over the crook in his nose.

"Al, just stop talking," the old nickname accidentally rolled off of his tongue. When they finally got to his room, Hans' collapsed in his brother's arms from weakness. Hans felt his whole torso throbbing. Albert picked his tall, younger brother up bridal style. Barley conscious, his head rested against Albert's chest. Albert glanced down at his blood soaked brother and remembered how they fought on the last day he saw him. Hans had given him the cold-shoulder, constantly rejecting any attempt Albert made to make some sort of bond with him. Now he was carrying him years later, and he knew if Hans was conscious enough, he'd reject him out of his life again. Albert laid him down on his large, soft bed. The spacious room was dimly lit. It was fairly well-kept and orderly. It looked like a room that came out of a luxury furniture catalogue. The only things out-of-place was a grey jacket and an old, thick book scattered on the elegant chestnut carpet. He was certain Hans would completely blacked out again. To his surprise, Hans' eyes opened halfway.

"You really need to see a doctor. I should take you." Albert had a hint of concern in his voice.

"I don't want to see anyone right now. Why did you even help me? Wouldn't you want me out of the competition for father's inheritance?" Both of them went quiet at the mention of their father. He remembered the times his distant, cold father was alive. He tried to desperately think of something else. Glancing down, he finally noticed how his shirt was stained red, which reminded him of the dark moments when his father had gotten violent with him. His brothers soon picked up the violent habits. He thought of Albert never being there, forcing him to face his the demons of their family alone. Hans frowned at the flashbacks. Albert's voice pulled him back to reality, which he was thankful for.

"I wouldn't just let you die." Hans inspected his dried blood on his brother's hands. His chest stinging again.

"I don't trust you or even know you," Hans shouted weakly.

"I know," he breathed.

"Next time, I'd prefer if you'd just leave me. You're good at that, from what I remember. You're just like the rest of them. You think I can't tell, but I see right through you." Albert had a hurt look in his eyes.

"I guess I deserve that." Albert gazed the floor uncomfortably. "Hans, I'm sorry that I wasn't there for-"

"You're not my brother."

"Hans..."

"No, I mean it! I always mean it." There was a pause. Hans reflected on all the times he had disowned his brothers. No matter how many times he said it, it seemed their family blood always kept them _stuck_ in each other's lives. Hans couldn't find a comfortable position to lie his battered body in.

"I'll get out of your way," Albert whispered in a hurt tone. Albert touched the expensive, golden door knob with one hand. He hesitated before speaking again. "Happy birthday, Hans." The door creaked as he closed it behind himself. Hans had forgotten it was his own birthday. He didn't think Albert would know anything about him, let alone his birthday. All of his brothers were horrid people. How could there be a single exception? Despite this belief, something in him felt guilty for shouting at Albert. His vision started to get fuzzy and dark, then he passed-out again. He opened his eyes to see an unpleasantly bright, white ceiling and unfamiliar voices. There was a sound of rushed footsteps, and other various background noises that included something that sounded like an alarm clock. He couldn't make out what they were saying. He saw an elderly, dark-skinned man with a flu-mask leaning over him, pulling up blue, rubber gloves that stopped at his wrists. The man said something to him, but Hans couldn't distinguish his voice from the ringing he kept hearing in his ears. He took Hans' limp wrist in his hands, feeling his pulse. After glancing more around the room's wall cabinets, Hans noticed the blood was cleaned off of his knuckles. When he tried answer the man talking to him, only a weak grumble escaped his lips. Hans shifted to see where he was, but the man put a hand to his chest holding him still. More people in masks leaned over, gawking at his injury almost like someone would to an animal in a zoo. The ceiling looked like it was spinning, which made him feel sick. He closed his eyes, hoping the nausea would go away. He didn't realize he had blacked-out again. When he woke-up, his hands searched the red, silk bed covers behind him, desperate for some sign that he wasn't dreaming. Clutching the red bed covers, he sighed in relief; he recognized where he was this time. He was back in his bedroom, propped on fluffy pillows. He instinctively reached for his stinging wound on his ribs only to find a bag of ice sitting on his torso. He glanced to the rest of his body, looking for other changes. But it was difficult to see since the only light was the moonlight peaking through his bedroom window. As he scratched his itching wrist, he realized he had an irritating paper hospital-band around it. He remembered the bright, white spinning ceiling and felt nauseous again. Hans could feel himself fading in and out of consciousness. Closing his eyes, he thought of his blackmailer.

* * *

AN: Stay tuned! It only gets better from here. **Please, leave a review**! I care what you guys think. People who follow me on Tumblr know how much I love Hans' bro, Prince Albert. His character was invented by the Frozen fandom. Disney never released any information on names of his brothers, so I'm trying to stay true to the characterization the fandom has given him. Yes, Albert is a good guy. Hans had such awful experiences with his brothers before, how could you blame him for not trusting all of them?


	10. Chapter 10

After a few days on sick-leave, Hans' health had improved. Despite being able to walk around on his own again, he was on bed rest because his pain medication made him drowsy. Hans sat up in his bed, looking around his unlit room. Night had fallen, and he longed for sleep. He hadn't left his bed since the night Albert found him. In fact, he hadn't seen Albert since. Hans interrupted his own slumber because Dr. Weselton called to ask if he would drop off documents he had taken home days ago. Rubbing his eyes, he felt elated to finally get outside of his room again. Hans slid out of bed sloppily and dragged his feet in front of his long, embroidered mirror that hung on the wall. The mirror's wooden designs around the frame gave it an enchanting, expensive appearance. It reminded him of the magic mirrors he used to read about in old fairy tales. Beholding his reflection, he felt relieved to see his swelling had gone away. The cut on the side of his bottom lip caught his attention. Eyes darting from bruise to bruise, he lifted his shirt to see his fresh scars. He realized his wounds didn't look nearly as horrifying, since the blood washed off. Since he didn't have to be at the office for long tonight, Hans decided to ditch the business suits. He wrestled with sliding on an ivory, turtle-neck sweater over his dark jeans. He broke his attention from the enchanting mirror to rest his eyes on the diamond ring placed on a table near him. The date of the company dinner approached. Hans realized he never told Elsa about the secret proposal and wondered if Dr. Weselton had told her while he left. The off chance that maybe the entire proposal could be called off calmed him. Dr. Weselton wanted him to tell Elsa in some romantic gesture in hopes that she'd agree. His car still was damaged after his last encounter with his brothers, so he took a different car that his family owned to drive to work. Arriving at the office, he sighed quietly. His workplace felt more like a home to him than his actual mansion. Dr. Weselton instructed him to make it a quick visit since he was injured, and it was way pasted office hours. When Hans walked inside the unlocked doors of the empty office, he took the file he held in his hand and plopped it onto his own desk to give himself time to scan the room. The entire room looked neat, yet with a few misplaced items as evidence that people worked today. The empty chairs neatly rested near their desks, a few scattered paper clips decorating tables with stacks of paper slightly askew. Interrupting his quiet thoughts, he felt someone grab his hands from behind him, tracing his broad palm with their thin thumbs gently. It shocked him since he thought he was the only one in the room. The only person supposed to be there was Dr. Weselton and that was just to let him in. Dr. Weselton informed him in his past phone call that she currently wasn't at the office, but she'd be back in thirty minutes.

"Elsa?" Hans guessed. A sarcastic, feminine cackle responded. The shrill chortle filled the room, as he heard the door behind him lock. The person caressing his hands leisurely strolled in front of him. His face automatically formed a worried expression. His blackmailer, facing in front of him, crossed her arms. She grinned at his injury. The blackmailer invested a lot of time in her appearance for this visit: she seemed proud of her purple, form-fitting dress, which contrasted against her beach-waved hair. Even her beauty pageant makeup must have taken hours for her to apply.

"Hello, Westerguaard. Did you like the surprise I sent you?"

"You almost had me killed!"

"My dear, sweet Westerguaard. That's what I do. Did you think they were kidding when they called me, well, a witch?" Hans shuttered. She sneered, "Honestly, I wouldn't be sad, if you died. Tell me, how many bruises are you hiding under that suit?" She ogled his clothed chest. She could tell his ribs were broken from his shallow breaths. His blackmailer placed her hands around his neck and dragged them towards the ends of his tensed, flexed shoulders. "I want to see them, darling. I want to see the good work your brothers did." She looked up at the tall, injured man before her. Her red lipstick drawing attention to her sinister smile. _You're_ _a__lmost my_ _type, _her past voice echoed in his mind.

Hans repelled, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just thinking about how handsome you'd look in a coffin." She lightly pricked his shoulders with her pointed nails. He finally figured out that the look in her eyes wasn't just hatred. He then knew what she really thought. Lustfully licking her lips, she dug her nails a little deeper into his broad shoulders.

"You're so twisted," he breathed. Every word that he said fueled her. It hurt him to move his arms, so he couldn't swat her hands off of him.

"I'm going to keep destroying you until you tell me all of Elsa's secrets. You screwed me over by ditching our deal. You think you can get away with this? I've never hated someone so much before. Here's your last chance. Take her down, or I'll take you down." He flashed back to the memory of his near death experience. She'd definitely be willing to bribe his brothers against him again, if he didn't give in. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but Hans had never felt more worn out.

Trying to buy time to not submit, he changed the subject, "You want me to make a deal with you, yet you haven't even told me your name?" She twirled the gold seashell necklace between her fingers.

"You can call me Vanessa."

"Is that your real name?"

"I don't have all day! Do we have a deal? I'm not asking much," she hissed. He wanted to reject her offer, yet it put his life on the line. Before he could answer, they heard someone with fumbling keys trying to unlock the door from the outside. Who could be coming at this hour? The only other person he could think of was Dr. Weselton, and she told him she wouldn't be back this soon. The truth was that Dr. Weselton never should leave an employee alone in the office, but she disobeyed _a lot_ of rules. He figured it might be a "friend" of his blackmailer, but she looked just a startled as him. Neither of them wanted anyone from Hans' work to know she sneaked in. Hans couldn't risk giving his blackmailer the opportunity to expose his and Elsa's lie. He almost died for over it, and he couldn't let it go in vain. The blackmailer unexpectedly darted behind his wooden desk and hid under the hollowed space intended for leg room. It proved to be a perfect hiding spot, since the desk was covered completely from the front and sides. Nobody would find her, so long as nobody walked behind his desk and looked underneath.

"If you tell anyone I'm here, I'll kill you," Vanessa growled. The door knob twisted open with a creak. In a panic, he leaned against his desk in an attempt to look like he was casually alone all along. He strained too hard to look natural. The leaning position caused his ribs to sting, which made him wish Albert annoyed him with ice packs again. Elsa, standing on the other side of the now opened door, immediately rushed to hug him. The blackness of Elsa's sweater and tights was only broken apart by her winter green, A-line skirt. Her arms slipped under his to wrap around. She buried her face into the soft fabric of his sweater.

He winced nervously, "Ow. Hey Elsa." The pain in his voice caused her to take a step back, releasing him from her grip. Feeling embarrassed by her excitement to see him, she held her hands together in front of her to regain her composer.

"Sorry, I should have known better than to squeeze you like that after what happened to you. I heard you were hurt, and Dr. Weselton told me you'd be here tonight. I figured I'd see how you were. You should sit! You're obviously in pain." The fact Elsa begged Dr. Weselton for any information on him was a detail she purposefully left out. She lightly shoved his back forward towards his desk chair. Afraid Elsa would follow him to see his blackmailer underneath, he obeyed and quickly sat himself down without any objections. The chair squeaked underneath them. Elsa awkwardly hovered in front of his desk without a purpose. The crickets from outside chirped loudly, which only made it harder for Elsa to think of something to say. The whole situation made her frustrated. Elsa felt upset that Hans was able to comfortably avoid her for so long and offended by how distant they had been acting towards each other. A bitterness took over her as she watched him keep his privacy to himself. Hans' mind raced over excuses to get Elsa to leave, so his blackmailer would be able to finally escape with both their dignities and jobs intact. The longer his blackmailer stayed, only the more trouble she could cause. There was barley much room for his blackmailer to fit under his desk with his legs inhabiting her hiding spot. Vanessa curled into a ball with her shoulders hunched, holding his calves. With no place for her to sit comfortably, Vanessa pressed her forehead onto his knee. Hans sleepily rested his large hands on his desk. Elsa's eyes darted across the room uneasily, and eventually landed on his arms. She gasped when she noticed his stitches on his left hand.

In a commanding tone, Elsa glared Hans, "Who did this to you?" Her tone made Vanessa flinch. He watched Elsa, as she clasped her hands together in front of her the way she always did whenever something upset her enough. For a brief second, she looked tempted to scoop his injured hand in hers to cradle it. She shifted her weight on her legs anxiously.

"It's not important," Hans dismissed.

"Not important!? I was told you almost _died_!" Elsa shouted. Hans instinctively stood up in response to her anger, standing in place to face his raging fake girlfriend. Vanessa held onto the edge of his pants to keep him from walking away from the desk. She didn't want to be stranded alone with Elsa. Hans already felt aggressive from dealing with his blackmailer, so Elsa shouting at him only awakened it in him more.

"Well I didn't. I'm fine," Hans tried to calm Elsa down, but his own tone was heated.

Elsa raved on, "You can't just almost die and expect me not to want to know what happened!" He knew he couldn't tell the truth by mentioning the blackmailer to her. How does one admit to agreeing to sell you out, then backing out of it later only to cause a feud and extortion? He knew Elsa wouldn't handle it right. If he ever were to tell her, he definitely wouldn't do it when the blackmailer actually hid in the room.

"Fine. I just fell down some stairs," he brushed off. Elsa furrowed her brows like a displeased queen. She waited for him to correct his lie. "...Long stairs," He added.

"I heard it was your brothers."

He boomed, "It doesn't matter!" He felt anxious that he got caught in his lie. Hans didn't know how Elsa figured that out. He wondered if this meant that Elsa had been asking around about him. The tall, young man leaned forward as he placed his hands on his desk. He got closer to eye level with the furious, young lady.

"Yes, it does," Elsa blew up. She sensed he either played mind games with her, kept secrets, or maybe both. He acted differently, and she sensed it. Every time she found him suspicious, her intuition proved true. Worst of all, it agitated her that she thought of him at all. He became all she had thought about for days. It made her upset to think that he must never think of her, yet she couldn't even escape from Hans in her sleep. All her nights filled with dreams of him. She tried to take a step closer to confront him more, but the desk blocked her. They stood face-to-face. She examined a red scar under his eye on top of his cheek. She realized how up close and personal his brothers must have been to be able to give it to him.

Elsa confessed, "I was scared when I found out what happened to you. It's just as bad as I thought. I don't like to see you hurt like this. I'm really mad at you!"

Hans scoffed, "I can't believe you're actually mad at me over this!" He felt shocked that Elsa got upset with him for getting injured, as if it fell into his control, as if he wanted it to happen.

She confided, "Because I care about you! You didn't even tell me! And now, when I asked, you lied to me! Why am I the last person who hears about this?"

"You really should stop caring about things that aren't important," he dismissed.

"_You_ are important," she raised her voice louder than she intended. There came a silence where Hans didn't answer, but he still lingered before her. Elsa released the breath she held. A few seconds passed by. Neither of them spoke. He never had someone care about him before. It moved him. He finally understood why it bothered her that he didn't tell her anything, although he still found it a silly reason to argue over. Perhaps, he let himself fall into trick situations, like the fake relationship, the proposal, or the blackmailing because he never viewed himself as... important.

She cleared throat nervously, "You can stop blushing now."

"I'm not! I'm not blushing," he tried to say coolly. He felt shocked and embarrassed by her accusation. Hans spoke softly, calming down after their fight, "I just didn't think I was _important_ to you. I didn't know... 'important' was the word." Elsa pacified with his tone.

"I guess it is," she mumbled. It became so quiet, Vanessa's breathing became audible under the desk, but neither had been paying attention to hear it. Elsa allowed herself to peak at his captivating green eyes. She couldn't help but notice the blush never left his face, and she hoped that she didn't have an obvious blush herself. Taken by his handsomeness, it took her a moment to realize that their hands accidentally touched on his desk.

Elsa gasped, "Sorry! Uh, I-"

He slid his hand away, apologizing, "Oh, um. I didn't-"

"No, no. It-it was my fault." Jerking her hand back, Elsa tucked a lock hair that slipped out of her bun behind her ear. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to tell her something, but instead of saying what burdened his mind, he winced. He leaned back away from her.

Elsa worried, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! It was just... It was nothing." Vanessa had dug her nails into his muscular calf in order to break up their moment. Vanessa thought it was the most obnoxious conversation she ever had to sit through.

"Maybe you should sit down," Elsa insisted. Unhappily, Hans sat back down with Vanessa clutching his long leg tighter. Vanessa's claws rested on his knees and slid up his muscled thighs dominatingly. He became Vanessa's puppet, sitting and walking anywhere she allowed it.

Elsa watched his eyebrows raise as Vanessa gripped his elongated leg firmly. He felt unsure, if Vanessa tried to inappropriately feel his muscles, or if she merely tried to eliminated his chance of escape by holding him down. Either way, it bothered him.

Elsa fretted from his expression, "Are you okay, Hans?"

"Sorry, my leg's just... hurting. I really would give anything to have it left alone." His blackmailer ignored his hint.

"What do you mean?" The blonde sincerely listened to his concerns.

"It's probably from sitting here too long," he anxiously cleared his throat.

Elsa beseeched, "How about we go for a walk?" As he tried to stand, his blackmailer grasped her nails tighter into his thighs. A thud came from under his desk where Vanessa painfully bumped her head.

"I actually think it's from standing," He averted, worried that Vanessa would rise with him, if he stood. He plopped immediately back down, wishing for an escape for himself. Vanessa locked her sharp nails into his leg.

The blonde inquired, "Are you okay? You're acting a little strange. I really think a short walk would help. We could visit that new vending machine you wanted to try?" Desperate to leave the risky situation of being stuck between Vanessa and Elsa, he decided to take her up on her offer for a walk. Hans stood up, feeling the fingers lose their grip on his legs. Hans feared it could be only a matter of seconds before Elsa could figure out someone hid under his desk. Fleeing the room quickly, Elsa and Hans left his blackmailer alone. Vanessa groaned at the closing door's creak. Finally, she crawled out and stretched. After spending time snooping around the empty office, she departed from their work-place for good.

* * *

Slowly strolling towards the vending machine down the hall, Elsa dropped her quick pace to keep up with Hans.

Elsa began, "So, are you going to tell me the exact story behind those broken ribs of yours?"

"Who told you about that in the first place?" Hans cocked an eyebrow.

She admitted, "Dr. Weselton."

"Mhmm."

"What?"

"So you_ have_ been talking about me when I'm not around," Hans taunted. He put his hand on his throbbing ribs. He felt like he must have shifted something inside of him.

Elsa challenged, "Why are you saying it like that? It doesn't mean anything. I was just worried, okay?" Embarrassed, Elsa turned towards him, noticing his physical discomfort.

Still in pain, Hans jested, "Because I'm so _important?"_

"Ugh, are you ever going to let it go?" Elsa couldn't hide her enjoyment of him teasing her. As much as he enjoyed provoking her, he figured he shouldn't since they were both fresh from an argument. He didn't want them to relapse into a fight.

Hans averted, "Actually, I probably owe it to you to get you something since I was a jerk to you back there." He was a ladies-man, and he knew that women liked it when you take the blame. It certainly did matter to him what Elsa thought of him. Impressed by his gesture, Elsa accepted by elegantly pointing to can of ginger ale through the glass. He turned away to buy her the drink, which gave her a chance to steal a glance at him. Even when exhausted, he still looked stunning. It was no wonder why most girls treated him like a celebrity. He handed her the dispensed, cold drink, which caused their fingers to brush. Elsa pretended she didn't noticed the contact.

She professed, "And I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm an older sister, so I'll admit I can get a bit bossy. I was just upset tonight."

"Why?"

She asked, "You really don't know?" Hans shook his head, wanting to know the full extent of her behavior. Elsa plopped her untouched beverage neatly in her purse to free her hands.

Elsa exhaled non accusingly, "Because of you. I thought you were ignoring me because you cut all contact with me. I texted you, I called you, I... noticed you stopped coming to work. I get that you were hurt, but it only takes a second to answer a text. I'm not an 'attention-seeking' person. If someone doesn't want me in their life, I won't fight it. It just made me mad that you made me figure it out the hard way instead of just telling me from the start. Well, your unsent message was received loud and clear." He didn't even notice that Elsa had tried to contact him at all. He figured he must have been asleep when his phone rang.

Hans remedied, "I'm not trying to ignore you or lie to you." He took both of her cold hands in his without hesitation. Her heart rate sped up again. She tried to make progress in erasing her feelings for him, and he built her up all over again with gentle touch. She knew he probably did this with every girl. He probably told them sweet nothings until they forgave him, and Elsa didn't want to be another fool that fell for everything he said. He mistreated her trust by shutting her out and devalued their partnership.

Elsa gasped in a reserved tone, "I can't believe you have the nerve to say that to my face. You just did! You lied to me back there, and the truth is you lie to me a lot." Frowning, she unsuccessfully tried to jerk her hands out of his. She bitterly turned her attention to the side, not wanting to hear anymore fabrications.

"What? You couldn't be more wrong!" Hans defensively voiced.

"You think I'm gullible enough to believe you again? This isn't the first time this has happened to me. I'd know what being shut out and lied to looks like when I see it." She kept her eyes on the ground, unable too shy to fully stand up to him. His clasp around her hands tightened, trying to gain her eye attention back. He sensed another argument in the midst.

Elsa vented, "I don't know what you're up to, but I can tell you've been hiding secrets from me from the way you've been acting. I want to be alone. Please, let me go." He knew that, besides the ring box, Elsa had no real evidence of how elaborate his lies had gotten. He let go of her resisting hands. Her arms fleeted back to her sides, but she regretted her request. His touch comforted her, and made her feel protected and wanted. He unknowingly held her fragile heart, and blocking him out of her life seemed to be the only way to protect herself from getting hurt.

Hans slipped out, flustered with her trust issues, "God, you're so insecure. You think that being alone is the answer to your problems, and it's not. As if nobody can hurt you when you're alone. You can still be hurt no matter how alone you are, trust me. You have to let go of your insecurities. You were never in control anyway. I'm not trying to ignore you. I can't believe you actually think that. Why would I do that? It never crossed your mind that I might like you?" Her frown left her face. It took him a moment to realize that he had admitted his crush for her in the spur of the moment. "...As a friend. We're close friends," he corrected. His words hit her like a train, forcing her to face the facts even though she didn't want to. "That came out harsher than I meant it, Elsa. I'm sorry-"

"There's no need to apologize," she softly sighed. Elsa lacked awareness that she could be so easily read. His analysis of her was so spot on, she almost felt like he'd must have read her diary to know all of those things. Their conversation had turned very real, which felt uncomfortable in a world that was so fake. There was something about night time conversations that promoted honesty.

Ignoring the uncomfortable truths, she changed the subject, "No offense, but what do you know about being alone? You've had the attention of every girl since you started working here." Hans craddled injured chest from the sudden sharp pain. Elsa's remorse hit her when she looked back at the injured man before her. She knew his brothers had beaten him. How could she have been so blind to his obvious situation with his family, especially after he had personally told her how bad it was? She internally condemned herself for the comment.

She cleared her throat before asking, "Was this the worst thing they've ever done to you?"

"Not even close." Hans shook his head with a bitter smile. He sighed, "That's a hard question. I've known them for a long time."

Elsa feared, "Oh, no. Is it that bad? Is it worse?"

"They ignored me. I guess I'd pick that." He licked his lips. He bitterly laughed, "I know that sounds crazy. You'd think I'd prefer that over this." He gestured to his bruised body. "Maybe I do," he added. Although she felt curious as to why they beat him in the first place, she decided against questioning it. Elsa already regretted asking. Guilt crept upon her as she thought of how she tried to ignore him the way his brothers had already done so to him. She realized how lonely he must have felt.

Elsa broke in, "To answer your question, yes."

"Yes?"

"I did ask about you. I asked about you a lot," Elsa admitted. She nervously twiddled her thumbs together. Hans flashed her a movie star smile that she simply couldn't ignore.

"Els, you're just saying that." He knew figured she felt sorry for him after that sad story about his brother. Elsa was taken back by the pet name. In all her years, she had never had a nickname.

"No, no. I mean it. I do care about you... And thank you for being honest with me." A twinge of guilt grew across his heart at the word "honest."

Hans proceeded, "Don't thank me just yet, but I prefer this to you bottling everything up all the time." It wasn't the easiest conversation, but they finally felt like themselves again. The tension between them lifted away. Elsa felt ashamed that she wasn't this close with Anna. As Elsa contemplated her weak relationship with her baby sister, Hans swept in and kissed her soft cheek. Her hand floated to the spot, and she docilely grinned. She was a damaged girl, but she was _his _damaged girl. She thought of his words: _"as a friend."_

* * *

When Hans and Elsa came back, he felt relieved to discover Vanessa had left. He didn't notice that before him stood an unpleased Dr. Weselton.

"I think we should talk. I got your letter," Weselton sternly grunted. She gestured with her hands towards her office. "Now, Hans."

"I didn't leave you a letter?" He pinched his the spot between his eyebrows with his stitched hand. Elsa's eyes darted between them in confusion.

"My office. Now." Despite Dr. Weselton's attempt to sound intimidating, she came across as nervous.

"I didn't leave you a letter," he repeated, but this time to himself. His phone vibrated with a text message from a private number, and he followed Dr. Weselton to her private office. With a confused look on his face, he read the text. He felt still uneasy from his blackmailer's visit. His hand ran through his red hair as he silently skimmed the text, "have fun that company dinner :)"

Hans painfully sat down in front of her desk, facing Dr. Weselton after she locked the door behind her to ensure privacy. Dr. Weselton hummed under her breath, pacing the room thinking of how to start the conversation. She picked up one of her pens to toy with in her anxious hands.

Her aged voice began, "Hans, you've been keeping secrets."

"What do you mean?"

"I know everything. I can't believe you think you can trick me after that letter you wrote."

He swallowed, "Everything?" Dr. Weselton made a motion to sit in her chair, but decided against it. She was a short woman and wanted to appear taller when confronting him.

"You come in my office, leave a despicable letter threatening to blow off the engagement, announcing that you're cheating on Elsa, going expose me for illegally spending company money, and... and expose my affair? You're blackmailing me!? Why, of all times, would you do this now!? I have half the mind to-"

"I didn't write that letter!" He was slightly relieved that she didn't know the _actual truth._

"It has your signature," she spat accusingly. With frustration, she unfolded the ivory letter and displayed it before him. "You can't lie your way out of this. Who else would know about all of this?" Hans shifted in his seat. He now realized that this was worse than the actual truth. The signature looked exactly like his own. His reputation for being manipulative wasn't in his favor now.

"I know it's going to be a lot to take in, but I'll tell you the truth. It's more complicated than you think." Hans exhaled, "I've been blackmailed for a while because I refused to give some girl our company information. I don't know why, but she was most interested in information about Elsa. She's really bent on revenge now because I refused. She said her name was Vanessa. I didn't want to lose my job, so I just kept her a secret from everyone. She found out that information on her own. Actually, she was in here maybe an hour before you were. She must have wrote the letter. Elsa doesn't know about this. You have to believe me!" After bouncing back and forth between the details, Dr. Weselton hummed to herself.

"You promise me that this is the whole truth? No more secrets?" Hans tilted his head away from her. He could feel his heart beating quickly. He couldn't honestly promise her that. Dr. Weselton repeated herself, "Is this the whole truth? No more secrets? I need to know if I can trust you."

Hesitantly, he gave in. "You have my word."

"Tell me what she was blackmailing you about."

"No! That defeats the whole point of the hell I've been through!" He put his hand over his aching sides to stop the pain. He wasn't sure if it was normal for broken ribs to hurt this often. Dr. Weselton's eyes widened as she studied him. Her body relaxed in realization the longer she stared between his broken ribs, fresh scars, and the exposed bruise on his jawline.

"My God, this Vanessa girl did this to you. Didn't she?" She adjusted her thin glasses to balance on the tip of her long nose, knowing the answer without Hans having to say. After discussing the blackmailing more, Dr. Weselton seemed more and more hopeful about their plan.

"I hope you know that this proposal isn't off. We just have a slightly different strategy. I know you surly love to be the one in charge, Mr. Westerguaard, but you have to follow my every word from now on." She cupped his strong jaw in both her hands as if she held a trophy. Hans' eyebrows met in a worried expression, unsure of why she was looking at him like he was the answer to her problems. Dr. Weselton snickered, "Elsa is now your biggest problem, but she's also your solution."

* * *

AN: Sorry it took me so long to release this. I was busy, and I felt you deserved my actual effort instead of me rushing to get it done. I think you will all like the next chapter. Anyhow, **please leave a review**! Your opinions are important to me. Love you all! Also, Vanessa is a reference to _The Little Mermaid's_ Ursula in human form. There was also a little _The Hunch of Notre Dame_ scene reference. See if you can catch it!


	11. Chapter 11

The next day after work, Elsa asked Hans if she could talk to him alone. To ensure privacy, they avoided the parking lot by choosing an alternate route by strolling along a sidewalk shaded by bare, winter trees on both sides. The ice on the frozen trees sparkled like crystals. It was snowing, and Elsa loved it. Her hands linked around the crook of Hans' arm. Hans' gentlemanly gesture wasn't new to her, but she adored it every time. As she walked, her long, milky coat hid her swinging legs. Her white fur collar made Elsa feel like the queen of ice and snow. Hans contrasted with her in his black coat and pants. His grey scarf was the only thing breaking apart the darkness of his outfit.

"What's on your mind?" Hans asked as they kept strolling past the blankets of snow. The bleak, overcast sky was calming to Elsa.

"Dr. Weselton told me you had something urgent to tell me. She said it was private, and she insisted that I remind you about it today. What exactly is it that's so urgent?"

"I'm not sure. That's a bit vague." He figured it couldn't possibly be what he was thinking.

"Well she said it had to do with the company dinner coming up." But it was. Reluctantly, he knew he had run out of time by postponing the proposal discussion.

"I think I know what Dr. Weselton wanted me to talk to you about." He held his breath. He couldn't figure out how to explain that both of their jobs were on the line, if she didn't agree to an engagement. Elsa's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"She's been talking a lot about tomorrow's event. I'm sure she wants us to impress people there, and maybe even perform that 'love-struck' act that we did at the ball, but I don't really get why she's mentioning it so frequently. It's funny. She kept asking if I love you. You don't think she really knows that we're faking it, do you?"

"She doesn't know." He glanced to the side. "But... what did you tell her?" She raised her eyebrows at his interest. Elsa played with her hands nervously. She watched at him shy away by glancing at the ground. His hooded, green eyes showing he was ready to doze off at any minute. He looked like he hadn't be able to sleep well, most likely from the pain of his injury. The cold winter air sent a shiver down both of their spines, keeping them awake.

"We're in a fake relationship. Of course, I said yes."

"Of course," he repeated after her in a husky mumble. "But you are coming to that company dinner though. Right?" Elsa squeezed his bicep lightly with her gloved hands. The sound of her high-heeled boots flattening the snow beneath her had stopped as they now stood in place.

"Definitely," she confirmed. He took her left hand and placed a kiss right above her gloved knuckles as a silent way to say goodnight. She bit back a swoon for his chivalric gesture. She didn't like to admit how much he was able to easily charm her. He still held onto her hand, lingering as if something was on his mind. He thought of how the ring would look on her hand.

"Elsa, I don't know how to say this," He paused. He knew he should tell her the truth right then, yet the only way Elsa would say yes to a fake proposal is if he told her in the right moment. Proposing to someone was horrifying enough. A fake proposal felt so much more intimidating. He couldn't find the right words. "Never mind. Forget I said anything." He dropped her hand.

"No, what were you going to say?"

"It was nothing really." Hans dismissed.

"Well, I have something to say," she announced. Shooting her a confused expression, Hans watched Elsa pull out a pearly white package with a red, velvet bow on top from her purse. It was small enough to fit in both of Elsa's hands. She pushed the package into his chest until he finally held it himself.

She cleared her throat, "I heard it was your birthday a few days ago. I would have given you something sooner, if I had known. It's nothing big. I didn't know what you're supposed to get your 'boyfriend.' Let alone your fake boyfriend."

"You got me a present?" Hans shook the box lightly as it rattled. Gazing at the gift, he let out a charming laugh. His long, gloved fingers tapped on the gift eagerly.

"Don't laugh at me! I know you're probably thinking I'm lame, but I actually tried, okay?" Elsa muttered.

"No, it's not that. Elsa, I..." He lightly squeezed the gift, causing the wrapping paper to make a crunching sound. "I've never had a birthday present before."

"Ever?" He shook his head, feeling slightly embarrassed that he was excited about getting a present as an adult.

"Thank you, Elsa."

"Aren't you going to open it?" She smiled as she watched him tug on the bow.

"Oh, I thought that was rude to open a gift in front of someone?" Never having a birthday party, he wasn't certain of the proper etiquette.

"No, I think you're supposed to actually. If you'd rather not, I'd understand." Elsa watched as the falling snowflakes started to collect in his dark, red hair. He roughly ripped off the ribbon onto the floor and handsomely smiled at the sound of the paper tearing. She found his eagerness adorable, but she did her best to remain stoic. There was something about him in that moment that made her think that she was utterly in love him. She had wrestled with her feelings many times, but she couldn't deny it now. The fact she was feeling this while in an extremely faux and complicated relationship scared her. Her heart fluttered when he excitedly peaked between her and his mystery gift. He held up a shining silver in his gloved hand.

Elsa giggled, "I don't know if you play, but I bought you a harmonica! I thought you were on bed rest still when I bought this. I assumed you might get bored, so I thought a harmonica would be fun."

"I love it!" Hans bit his lip as he slid it into his coat pocket. She felt secondhand excitement, and neither of them noticed the remains of the gift on the ground between them.

"Do you play?"

"No, but I still love it! Elsa, thank you!" He spontaneously picked her off of the ground to spin her thrillingly as she giggled, her braid flowing behind her.

"I hope you're not just saying that," she beamed. He stopped his spinning to place her down.

"It's the best present, as far as I'm concerned. I love it! I could kiss you!" He slid his hands off of her hips as both their laughter died away. Despite meaning it, he wished it didn't slip out. He surveyed the snow contemplating the idea of someone caring about him enough to give him something for his birthday. Let alone making the effort even though the actual day had passed. He was just about to apologize for his spur of the moment speech, when Elsa interrupted him.

"You could?" Elsa sounded more hopeful than she wanted to. There was another silent pause between them as Elsa internally chastised herself for saying that. Glancing at her pink, glossed lips, he felt like there was a magnetic pull between them that he was trying hard to resist. Their situation was complicated enough. The last thing he wanted was for feelings to get in the way.

Worried about where this was heading, he changed the topic, "It's getting late..."

"Oh, right. I guess it is," Elsa agreed reluctantly. Neither of them moved. They glanced between the trees, the snow, then back at each other, neither of them wanting to acknowledge the romantic tension. The wind blew a powerful gust behind Elsa, ruffling both of their hair. It blew Elsa's pushed-back bangs in front of her eyes messily. They childishly laughed at her funny appearance. Hans pushed her hair back, keeping it out of her face. She found herself enjoying the feeling of him sliding his gloves through her hair, then resting his fingers on her cheeks. Their laughing ended, and they were left with winter silence. Elsa could feel her heart skip a beat from how close he was to her. With hooded eyes, he leaned down towards her, hesitating before her lips for a moment. Her breath hitched as she waited for a kiss that never came. She could inhale his minty breath from his near by lips. Although he had kissed her before, this moment felt different. If Hans kissed her, things wouldn't be the same anymore. _He _wouldn't be the same anymore: he'd fall for her. Hans could tell by her lingering that she had been _wanting _him. He wished he never had kissed her the first time because it made it harder to resist not pursuing her. It tormented Elsa how close he stood next to her without making a move. He leaned back, handing her back her gift without even looking her in the eyes.

"Hans, what are you doing?"

"I should go."

"I don't understand-"

"I'll... I'll see you around," He breathed. Hans turned around and walked away without another word. The temptation was too high for him to stay. Elsa released the breath she was holding. For the first time, she was able to look at him, while he was the one with his eyes glued to the ground. She felt like she was in over her head to think he might actually want her back. Her eyes threatened unwanted tears. She felt foolish for letting her heart win in the first place. She was supposed to be exceptional at resisting others. In fact, she was superb at persuading her head to avoid getting attached, but she was unexperienced in persuading her heart. As upset as he made her, Elsa knew that she couldn't rationally be heartbroken over a man she was never really dating. Elsa told herself that the pain she was feeling wasn't real, and yet tears were streaming down her face. With the urge to be alone, she drove home. When she arrived, she opened the front door and walked into the living room. Everything in the room even reminded her of him. There was the table where he fixed her a drink, there was the TV where they watched a movie, and the leather couch where they sang. She was standing in the same spot where he once twirled her. Her tear-blurred vision made her unaware anyone was home. Her sobs were interrupted by her sister's gasping.

"Woah, what's wrong?" Anna was sitting on the floor with a blonde, stouty man in baggy, grey sweatpants and a navy hoodie. They both were spending a night in with hot chocolate. He looked uncomfortable by Elsa's bawling. Elsa hated people seeing her cry, strangers or not.

"Not now, Anna." Anna tugged one of her red braids in her hand nervously. Her hot pink pajamas opposed Elsa's elegant work attire. She stood up and put an arm around her big sister.

"I'm your sister. You can tell me anything. Kristoff, give us a minute." The blonde man stood up and went into a different room, sensing he needed to give them space.

Elsa sniffed, "But you hate me, remember?" Flash backs of their fight danced in her head.

"I don't hate you."

"You should."

"I shouldn't have told you that. I'm sorry. Of course, none of it would have happened, if you had just talked to me." Anna paused to get rid of the slight accusation in her voice. "But that doesn't matter now."

"I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. It was my fault for starting the fight. I shouldn't have said that, Elsa. Tell me what happened."

"You wouldn't understand." Anna guided Elsa onto the leather couch and handed her a box of tissues. Anna sat on the carpet beneath her.

"Is it me? Problems with classes? Friends? Work? Boy trouble?"

"It's... a few of those. I can't explain it."

"It's that Hans guy, isn't it?"

"What makes you say that?" Elsa was shocked that Anna knew.

"I heard you two were a couple now."

"Heard? Who's talking about that?" Although their "relationship" was public at work, it never occurred to Elsa that people knew about it around town.

"Arendelle is a gossiping town. Especially with you and him being from well-known, wealthy families, you both have been in the spotlight for a while. I hear people even gossiping about me. I hate it, but why didn't you tell me about your boyfriend? Did you breakup?" Elsa felt embarrassed that so many people had been talking about her behind her back. She wondered what they said.

"It's complicated. Thanks for trying to help, but I just want to be alone in my room."

"You're not dating?" There wasn't any way Elsa could explain her fake relationship to Anna. Nobody could know the truth.

"I can't tell you. I promise I'm not shutting you out. I'm practically over it; I'm done crying. I swear. He just makes me so frustrated." Elsa wiped her tears, leaving a streaking mascara on her cheeks. She longed for the isolation of her bedroom that she was used to.

"Are you in love with him?" Anna had delight in her voice, despite the obvious sad state of her sister.

"What!? Why would you ask that?"

"Everyone in the town thinks you're both each other's 'true love.' I even saw it in person! You both looked like you were about to kiss when you were saying goodbye that one time he visited. Wait... was it one time?" Elsa blushed at her sisters inquiry.

"Anna, what would you know about true love?"

"More than you! You wouldn't know what true love is even if Cupid struck you with his arrow. Now that I think of it, I think that's exactly what happened." Anna placed her hands over her heart as she batted her eyelashes at her big sister lovingly. There was nothing Anna loved more than romance.

"Forget it."

"No, you clearly love him. You can't just ignore that!"

"Anna, I'm fine now. Look, I'm even done crying. I'm really fine." It was a lie in hopes that Anna would let her sulk in peace. Elsa hated that she was feeling so confident that morning, but over one small thing she managed to fall apart.

"So you aren't denying it?"

"I'm certainly not admitting it!" Elsa's buried her face in her hands.

"You're blushing pretty hard," she giggled. "Oh, Elsa! I've always wanted us to have girl talk like this. What do you love most about him? Are you into red heads? Is it that charming voice of his? Or how gorgeous he is? Because I've seen him. He's dreamy."

"That's enough. I-I don't love him, and he certainly doesn't love me. Okay?"

Anna ignored Elsa's denial and continued, "Have you two kissed yet? They say that's how you know, if someone loves you." She thought of Hans claiming that he knew Elsa was in love with him the first time he kissed her. Her eyes widened.

"How does someone know just through a kiss?"

"You'll both feel sparks, silly. That's what everyone says, anyway. So he hasn't ever kissed you? Not even once? I'm not shocked. I mean, you're way too distant, Elsa. You should open up more." Elsa smiled as she realized how she always got upset with Hans for daring to come into her personal space, touching her occasionally. She never thought it'd be him to be daring enough to kiss her when she's so closed off. She did feel something whenever he kissed her, but how could she know if he did, too? She started to fumble with her blonde braid.

"Sparks?" Elsa croaked. Anna cocked an eyebrow at her sister, who was unaware she wore a love struck expression.

"Oh, Elsa. He has kissed you, hasn't he?" Anna sombered up. "And you did feel a spark, didn't you?" Elsa buried her face in her hands again.

"Oh my God! He totally kissed you! What if he's... the one!" Her squealing was so loud that Kristoff in the other room could hear her. Anna tugged on her braids, one in each hand. "You have to describe everything about this kiss now!"

"Which one?" Elsa's voice sounded muffled through her gloves. She could practically _feel_ Anna grinning at her.

"Which one!? He kissed my sister, my shy sister, more than once!? I don't understand why you don't get it! He is your true love, and you're just sitting here denying all of it!? How'd you get him to kiss you? I want to know how you do it!"

After taking a minute to think, Elsa gave in, "I didn't do anything really. He just sort of did it on his own. The first time he did it was to get me to stop talking, then he did it to prove a point. He also kissed me, while he was drunk. Maybe that last one doesn't really count since he wasn't sober. He never kissed me because he liked me. It's not true love. I told you." With the sound of Anna's giggles in the room, the blonde man felt it was safe to enter again. He walked back in, stopping before Anna.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I? I'll go, if you want me to."

"It's fine, Kristoff. My sister was crying because she's heartbroken. It's okay now, though. We were just having the best bonding in the whole world before you came in, which means you should go away now. It's girl stuff. You wouldn't understand."

Kristoff interrupted, "Hmm I think I might. I kind of over heard everything in the other room."

Elsa insisted, "Actually, we just finished. Kristoff, was it?" Elsa stood up to leave, reaching to shake his hand goodbye, but Anna pouted.

"No, we aren't done! Nobody's leaving! We were making progress. Kristoff, tell Elsa it's true love!" Anna crossed her arms as Elsa plopped back down unwillingly. Anna forced Kristoff to sit on the floor next to her, facing Elsa.

"This isn't the most appropriate conversation to have in front of your... friend," Elsa hinted.

"Kristoff doesn't mind. You're just cowarding out of admitting that you're in love."

Elsa groaned, "It's obviously not true love. It doesn't matter that he kissed me. He never once did it because he actually wanted to."

Kristoff chuckled at the sisters' innocents when it came to men. He was a shy man, but a man nonetheless. Although Anna was the first girl he had dated, he knew that Elsa's statement was wrong. He commented, "There are lots of ways to get people to stop talking or to prove a point. When it comes down to it, he kissed you because he wanted to... not that I'm suggesting you should date him. Don't listen to Anna. He may seem perfect, but I see right through him. I've seen him around town before and absolutely can't stand him."

"Kristoff!" Anna loudly gasped at his rude comment. "Leave! Can't you see we're having sisterly bonding here?" Anna fussed. Although she had wanted him to stay just minutes before, she hated that he was against the idea of Elsa's relationship. She shooed him with her hands until he left again. Once he was gone, Anna continued, "Hans totally loves you. Even Kristoff agreed between his insults."

"You weren't there when he kissed me. Why are you so sure that he loves me?" Elsa sighed. She could feel her eyes starting to water again at the thought of her last encounter with him. The way he built up her longing for him, then just left without a care. That wasn't something someone would do to the person they loved. She found it hard to believe that Hans would pick her out of all of his other options, anyway.

"I was there when you had to drive him home that time he came over. He didn't kiss you then, but he _wanted to._ I could tell he would have, had I walked in a second later."

"No, that was just romantic tension," Elsa dismissed.

"Yeah, that's the point. There's a romance happening here! Well... do you love him back?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Her voiced quivered like she was about to cry again. The leather she sat on squeaked as she shifted to cross her arms.

"I don't see why not. This is true love!"

"Because I'm not his true love."

The little sister whined, "You just don't see it!"

"You don't know the full story. Anna, our relationship is completely..." She was about to say "staged", but she knew she couldn't spill her secret. She frowned before continuing, "It's just not what it seems. You're going to have to believe me on this, okay?"

"Fine. Whatever you say, but I just have to ask one more thing: is he a good kisser? Does he use tongue?" Elsa blushed again, which caused Anna to giggle at her expense. Anna hugged her knees, enjoying teasing her sister. Elsa stood up and threw a decorative pillow at her baby sister.

"I feel like I've opened Pandora's box."

"Wait, wait! We were getting so close! Come back!"

"Goodnight, Anna." Anna could only see the back of her big sister. Trying to avoid being too sentimental, Elsa shot a "Thank You" into the air as she scurried upstairs.

* * *

AN: Please, leave a review, if you have the chance. I can't wait to post the next chapter for you all.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, Anna knocked on her sister's door in a rhythm of six knocks. The white door opened quickly to reveal her older sister holding the front of an unzipped, teal-green dress to her chest to keep it from falling. Anna peaked behind her to see what was inside of her mysterious room. No one had ever been let inside of Elsa's room. Years of knocking had taught her that.

"Do you need help from your baby sis?"

"Could you, please? I'm having a hard time putting this dress on by myself." Not actually expecting her big sister to invite her inside, Anna beamed. Elsa waddled to her long mirror as Anna surveyed the forbidden room's white walls and pale-blue décor. She squinted at the purple furniture, unaware that her sister even liked purple. Anna was merry to be in her presence. Anna grabbed the jammed zipper on her back, and pulled as hard as she could. With a loud _zip_, Elsa rested her hands to the sides.

"Do you like it?" Elsa asked timidly.

"You look like a queen on her coronation day! Your work has a lot of black tie events, huh? Is this for your company dinner thing?" Anna tried to calm down enough to slow down her speech.

"Yes. I didn't pick this dress, though. My boss made me get everything approved by her. I wish it was blue." Imagining her gown in different colors, Elsa fingered the gold detail on the bust. "I have no idea what's so important about what I wear tonight."

"Maybe it's to match Hans' eyes," Anna teased. Elsa nodded to herself because it was probable. Because Hans had failed to tell her, Elsa wasn't aware that the real reason was due to her planned engagement that night. A tinge of bitterness flared inside her at the mention of Hans. "Are you still sad from yesterday?" Anna winced.

"It's fine. I'm over him. I don't need him." Anna stared at her sister, trying to think of another topic to ease her mind. Anna propped her elbow on her tall sister's shoulder and stood next to her. Their forms both side by side in mirror.

"You look so... seductive. You're usually completely covered up." Anna cocked an eyebrow, eyeing in the mirror the curves given to Elsa by the hidden corset. Elsa was suddenly self-conscious in her strapless, A-line gown. She covered her bare shoulders with her hands.

"Oh, no. Is it that bad? I want to change."

"Don't! It's a good different. It's sexy. If it bothers you, maybe an emerald necklace would help to distract from your boobs."

"Anna!" Elsa covered her cleavage with her hands, wishing her breasts were as small as her sister's. She never liked attention. Especially _this_ kind of attention.

"Or would a necklace draw more attention to them?"

"Either way, I'm not allowed to wear any jewelry." Elsa twisted her blonde hair into a majestic bun, hoping it'd tone down her sensual appearance. Arriving at the dinner all together, Anna squeezed Kristoff's arm. He was uncomfortable being dressed so proper, while Anna couldn't get enough of twirling in her pink, tulle gown. The dinner was being held in a hotel's colossal ballroom. With shaking hands, Elsa walked past the rows of round, white clothed tables to find Dr. Weselton. All of the other women were wearing dazzling earrings, strings of pearls, or jeweled bracelets with the tails of their dresses trailing the floor. She spotted Dr. Weselton towards the back of the ballroom in a fitted, grey gown. She felt self-conscious when she noticed her boss's chest was far more covered than her own. Nervously, Elsa adjusted her long, white gloves on her elbows. Dr. Weselton stood up from her seat and roughly patted her back. Elsa looked around the throng of people, spotting her coworkers in random spots.

After their overly formal greeting, Elsa gained the courage to ask, "Where's Hans?" Just then, Hans walked out of a group of people, and strolled towards her. He was much more social than Elsa, who planned to sit quietly to herself the whole night. She did her best to not let Hans' sophisticated attractiveness captivate her this time. She was still angry at him recklessly and guiltlessly breaking her heart and manipulating her. The other young women were turning their heads just to watch him walk by, admiring how nice his toned body and movie star jawline looked in a bow tie and black tux. She even saw one fanning herself with a lace fan just from being in his presence.

"Are you kidding me?" Elsa muttered quietly to herself. She turned around, facing her boss, to ignore him. She felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Grudgingly, she swiveled back around to see Hans swirling his champagne in his glass before her. He took her limp hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles as mere prep work for the crowd to lead up to the proposal. If Elsa wasn't so concerned with behaving lady-like, she would have rolled her eyes. Seeing him again only reminded her of the tears he caused her last night.

"Hans! Elsa! I'm glad you're here! I needed to talk to you both. Wait here, while I go grab the you-know-what." Dr. Weselton was happy to see Hans' scars and bruises had faded significantly. His tux hid most of his injury, anyway. Dr. Weselton disappeared in search of the ring. Elsa gingerly jerked her hand out of his. He smiled down at her as she waited to hear him compliment her as his charming habit.

"Elsa, you look..." Hans tried not to stare at Elsa's straining breasts. He could still see the outline of her hips, which she wished were wider, shifting through the flowing skirt of her gown. His attention was seized by the provocatively exposed milky skin of her shoulders and chest.

Forgetting her buxom appearance, Elsa interrupted, "You didn't even finish your sentence?"

"... breathtaking," He concluded. The sound of Dr. Weselton's heels bounced towards them. Breaking his trance, Dr. Weselton placed a hand on both of their shoulders.

She inquired, "I presume that you and Hans had a... fitting conversation yesterday?"

"You could say that," Elsa lied.

"Well I'm glad we were able to come to an understanding. Be ready around seven for the toast. This is very important, so make it count. You know what to do." Dr. Weselton winked and vanished in search of investors.

"Huh?" Elsa frowned in confusion. Standing next to Elsa, Hans choked on his champagne when he realized he never told Elsa about the proposal. "Hans, what was that about? What's happening at the toast?"

"Well... you see..."

"Unbelievable. You're hiding something again. Look, just leave me alone. I don't even want to know," she angrily dismissed.

"Can I talk to you... alone?" Hans piped up. He looked around for a private place they could converse. He pointed with his chin to the door that led to the stair well. Elsa was afraid he'd say something to break her heart even more.

"No, you can't. The truth is, I don't want to speak to you. I'm only here because it's my job, not because I actually want to be here with you."

"Els, you don't understand how important this is. I have to talk to you. Now." She crossed her arms when she heard the nickname. Glancing at his watch, he knew he had just enough time to remedy his procrastination in sharing the news, but he couldn't procrastinate any further.

"Forget it," she hissed.

"I can't take no for an answer," He warned. He placed his champagne down on a table, showing he was serious.

"I'm never going to speak to you again, and there's nothing you could possibly do to make me." Without a moment to spare, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him. His hands were too strong for her to be able to tear away from him.

"Hans, let me go!" She kept her voice quiet out in fear of making a scene. They weaved between throngs of guests as they headed to the other side of the ballroom. It was difficult for her to keep up in her high heels, so his grip on her tightened. She would never admit it, but there was something thrilling about Hans forcing her to follow him to some mysterious location. They came before a grey door with a long, red door handle. He looked both ways to ensure no one was watching, and he opened it to reveal a squared, spiral staircase. He led her into the stairwell with him and only let go of her after he closed the door behind them. They stood on a spacious, wide floor intended to be a break between the stair's spirals.

"What is your problem!?" she raged. Elsa rubbed her newly freed wrist.

"I get that you hate me, but you have to listen. Tonight isn't about what you think." Elsa pushed past him, unwilling to listen. The sound of her high heels echoed throughout the stairwell. She felt that he was trying to throw her into a conversation she wasn't ready to have. Her heartbreak was too fresh for her to handle alone time with him. She wiggled the door knob, yet it wouldn't move. She tried leaning into the door, but it still wouldn't open.

"We're locked in here. Great." She knocked as hard as she could, hoping someone would hear. The music from the ballroom was too loud for anyone to notice.

"No, that can't be-" He walked to the door and pushed as hard as he could, yet the door wouldn't budge. "This stairwell must be a fire escape only. No wonder it's locked."

"We're stuck," Elsa grumbled. "You're really something, after that show you put on yesterday and now this. Why are you doing this to me?"

"You're saying that like I locked us in here on purpose." Hans frowned defensively. He reached towards her.

"Don't touch me!" She commanded before he could make a move. She leaned against the locked door as he cornered her, unintentionally making her feel trapped. She was intimidated by how close he allowed himself to get to her. He put his hands in his pockets, aware that Elsa wasn't going to listen to him unless she got off what was on her chest.

"Are you mad because I left yesterday?" The image of their almost kiss clouded her mind. It was embarrassing for the both of them to hear the topic rise up. She didn't want him to know how badly he had hurt her, yet at the same time she felt it might have been obvious enough. Elsa gathered her courage to answer him.

"You tried to kiss me-"

"You don't understand-"

"... and then you just left. It was a horrible thing for you to do, and you know it," Elsa chimed in.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Then why would you lead me on like that then leave? You're not even sorry about it." Despite her attempt to appear bold, she had a sadness in her voice that she couldn't hide. It bothered her that she couldn't read the emotion off of his face. "And how dare you have the audacity to force me to talk to you again after that."

"It's not that easy to explain." He didn't want to confess any feelings he might have for her that had caused him to flee yesterday, especially while locked in a stairwell.

"Try me," she commanded.

"You should be happy that I left yesterday since you brought Kristoff tonight. I saw him coming in with you. I can't believe you brought that Neanderthal," he jealously spat. He watched the tempting girl in front of him gasp at his comment. He didn't like imagining that someone else had been looking at her the way he was currently.

"Don't say that about him! He's a good guy, unlike you." She pushed hard on the locked door at the last word, hoping it'd open to save her from the heated discussion.

"I've met him before. He's a jack ass," Hans slipped out. He never purposefully cursed in front of women. Caught up in the moment, he continued, "Of all the guys, you had to bring him!?"

"I can't believe you said that! I'm not uninviting him. I brought him here, so what?"

"But why to this event, of all places, while we're supposed to be a couple to everyone out there?" Elsa cocked her head to the side in befuddlement.

She blustered, "A-Are you being jealous?"

He hesitated. "No! It's just that we might get caught in our lie because of him. Besides, I just don't think he's right for you. I can't believe that barbarian actually made a pass on you."

"He didn't make a pass on me! I'm not even dating Kristoff! He's my sister's date!"

"Wait, what?" His tone softened.

"I'm not seeing anyone besides you, okay?" Neither of them wanting to be the first to break the awkward silence. He glanced down at the stairs, and Elsa stole a glimpse of his elongated, broad silhouette. She felt embarrassed when he turned his head back towards her in time to catch her staring at him.

"Els, I'm sorry. Yesterday was just a mistake. It looks like today is probably going to be, too."

"Well, we're already stuck," she whimpered. Elsa sat on the steps and buried her face into her hands. The skirt of her gown flowed majestically around her. To her surprise, he walked over and sat on the steps right next to her.

"What I'm about to say is going to make you hate me more."

"Don't worry. That's not possible." She was still furious that he unknowingly broke her heart and brought her tears, and she worried that she'd fall back into him, the very man who hurt her, the longer they were alone together.

"Trust me. It is," he sighed. "I have to propose to you tonight."

"What!?" She lifted up her face to look up at him.

"...In front of everyone."

"Oh my God! Why? Are you joking? This isn't funny."

"It's not a joke." He brushed his hair back with one hand, pausing his arm in the air when his hand reached the back of his head, "I have to do this. If we don't, we will lose our jobs. If we do, we get promoted. There's big money on this, Elsa. There's an investor who wants to donate millions, if we get engaged. Thousands and thousands of dollars was already spent on this fake engagement. We can't back out." Elsa felt her heart race as she gawked at her left hand.

"Is that why you had that ring box with you at work? Is that my ring?" Hans nodded. Elsa slid closer to him, their legs almost touching. "Show me the ring." He reached for the box in his pockets in vain.

"Dr. Weselton has it, but it's drenched in diamonds. It was made by some world famous ring designer, too. I forget the name..."

"It sounds like a lovely ring, but I'm mad that you didn't tell me sooner."

"By the end of the night, I'm sure I'll get everyone to hate me." He wasn't entirely joking by his last statement. Dr. Weselton, the investors, and the whole company would all be enraged when they discovered he and Elsa were missing.

"Any more secrets I should know about?" Elsa pondered. Hans thought of his blackmailer.

"Let's save the rest for later." The phrase didn't relieve Elsa's mind at all. He shoved his hands lazily in his pockets. He felt like giving up. He had been so stressed for days, which made him exhausted. Hans checked his watch. They had been in the stairwell for two hours, and they both noticed that nightfall caused the temperature to drop. "But will you say yes?"

"I-I will," Elsa quietly agreed. "But what if something goes wrong? What if I mess up?"

"Don't worry about it. We're probably going to miss the dinner anyway. I'm sure you'll do fine, if we do make it out on time." Without warning, he slipped off his tuxedo jacket. She wasn't sure why he was suddenly undressing in front of her until he draped his jacket over her bare shoulders. He placed his arm around her to keep her warmer. She smiled at the concrete floor, as she wrapped it tighter around herself. It was much too big on her, and she could smell his cologne on it.

"For what it's worth, I'm really sorry for everything." He glimpsed back at his gold watch. "It's almost time for the toast." His arm slid down her back gingerly, sending chills down her spine from the tickle. His grip found its way to her waist without warning. Her face flushed, unsure if she was over interpreting his body language. She could feel herself falling back into his arms both literally and metaphorically. Fighting her feelings wasn't easy when the hand that stroked her waist was the same hand that had once caressed her thighs.

Elsa mumbled, "Promise me one thing: don't kiss me when you propose, okay?" After a pause, he nodded. He wasn't sure, if she was saying it out of hatred or not. Part of him wondered, if the comment was inspired by their last _almost kiss._ Time flew by, and the boredom grew. They ran out small talk. Their conversation centered on pop culture, the way it always does with twenty-somethings. Hans asked her if she still had his birthday gift for him to toy with. Elsa dug in her clutch purse and handed it to him. He couldn't help but notice that the harmonica now bore a thick dent on the top of it.

"What did you do to it?" He flipped it around to examine the other side.

"Oh, I don't know how that happened. I guess I'm too rough with my purses," she lied. Elsa had really thrown it last night in her room, while she was still crying over him. At the time, she was planning on throwing it in the trash. She couldn't bring herself to do it, since it was the only thing she had left of him. Since then, she had sworn to never fall for him again. Elsa kept her secret musings to herself. Shrugging it off, Hans started to blow on his harmonica to pass time. He played it to the tune of _Love Is an Open Door, _while his other hand was still holding Elsa's waist. She rested her head against his chest, getting comfortable since she figured they'd be in there all night. His body felt cold, yet he never once asked for his jacket back. Elsa worried that they'd fall ill if they stayed in there too long. Then a horrid thought dawned upon her that no one might ever find them, and they'd have to spend the night in a stairwell. Swiftly, the door swung open. Dr. Weselton hunched before them with relief in her eyes.

"I've been look for you two for hours! I almost gave up until I heard faint music coming from the stairwell. Come on, get out. It's time!" Hans helped Elsa up. Dr. Weselton led them across the dimmed ballroom back to their table. There was some man making announcements on a stage, but she didn't pay attention to what he was saying. She figured it was something to inspire people. Her eyes wondered towards the ceiling, where a massive, ruby chandelier was shimmering from the reflected light of the stage. It wasn't until then that Elsa had noticed most of the ballroom was decorated in red. Elsa plopped down in her seat, afraid to face her proposal and everything that could come with it. The tables were dressed with fancy, empty plates and alcohol filled glassware. Timidly glancing around, Elsa couldn't spot her sister or Kristoff. It was too dark to see anything beyond dark outlines of seated bodies. Being too short to reach higher, Dr. Weselton grabbed Hans's elbow.

Dr. Weselton murmured, "When you propose, I need you to give Elsa a cinematic kiss. This needs to look like the kiss of true love in front of these people." Hans thought of Elsa's request.

He whispered back, "I don't want to make it look like a show."

"Hans, I'm telling you to make it look like a show. Do it. Now sit down and put your tuxedo jacket back on." He obeyed her, sliding his jacket up his arms and sitting next to Elsa. Their table was in the middle of all the others, which made him anxious to think of how many people would be watching. His boss tossed him the familiar, black ring box.

"I would like to make a toast," a random old man voiced. He stood up, and raised his wrinkled arm to the sky. "To all of the wonderful guests who attended tonight's dinner. This tradition has been going on for years..." he droned on.

After a thunder of applauds followed his speech, Dr. Weselton mouthed to Hans, "Now! Stand up! Both of you!" Hans grabbed Elsa's hand as he rose, pulling her up with him. Elsa's eyes were filled with panic.

A faint, distance voice shouted "Cue the light," and a spot light beamed down on them. It was so bright, Elsa squinted until her eyes adjusted.

Hans cleared his throat, "I wanted to make a toast to this amazing girl." Hans kneeled, and the entire ballroom was filled with gasps. Elsa already regretted agreeing to the proposal. The gawking of the whole room made her feel nauseous.

Hans carried on, "Elsa, I'm so glad that this job and Dr. Weselton brought us together. This company has been great to us, so I couldn't think of a better place to say this." He paused to remember his lines, the pressure made him just as uneasy as Elsa. "You are everything to me. I'm completely in love with you." It hurt Elsa to have to hear him say that to her face when she knew they were words he was forced to say. Dr. Weselton was mouthing the words with him, proud of the lines she thought up. Elsa scanned the room to finally be able to see Anna with her jaw dropped. Elsa's heart raced. Hans opened the ring box and exposed the giant diamond ring. It was far more beautiful than she had imagined, and it shinned brighter than the entire chandelier. It had one main diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds around the entire band of the ring. The crowd gasped again, watching the sparkles gleam onto the walls and ceiling in a rainbow pattern from the spotlight,

He breathed, "Will you marry me?" The sound of people shifting in their chairs to see her reaction distracted her. Hans looked up at her, worried that she was too nervous to speak.

"Elsa? Will you marry me?" Hans repeated. Everything was so silent that Elsa feared her heavy breathing might have echoed.

"Y-yes. I-I do," Elsa stammered. He took her left, shaking hand and glided the ring up her gloved finger. With the ring being her only ornament, she was the envy of every girl watching. He rose up from his kneeling as the roars of applauding took over. Elsa looked up at the tall man before her, intimidated by the seriousness of the situation she had gotten herself into. He dipped her backwards in his arms. In her panic, she feared he drop her, so she wrapped her arms around his neck for support.

"What are you doing?" She pleaded. He did what she feared he'd do: he planted his lips onto hers, causing a confused sound to escape her lips. The crowd roared louder, loving the entire show. He pulled her tighter as her breasts pressed against chest. It was a tender kiss. The type of kiss that successfully convinced the crowd that there was emotion behind it. Originally, the idea of being kissed while on display was terrifying to her. Elsa was so entranced by the kiss, she had forgotten they weren't alone. She fell back under his spell. He broke their kiss prematurely and leaned her back up. She released her grip on him, while he kept her close to his body. The spot light shut off. They sat back down after the crowd was done cheering, and Dr. Weselton shot him two thumbs up. As the night rolled on, more toasts were made, with glances every now and then finding their way back to Elsa's ring.

* * *

AN: There will be a part two to this! I didn't want to keep anyone waiting, so I decided to release the first half. More chapters to come! Let me know what you think :)


	13. Chapter 13

The dinner went on and Elsa fell silent, ignoring all of the attention others tried to give her. She stared at her ring in disbelief. She was planning on quitting her attachments to Hans, yet the universe managed to find a way to ruin it. Elsa was stuck to him. She zoned back in as Hans brushed her back lightly. She was taken off guard by the affectionate gesture.

"Elsa, you look sick."

"Love sick, perhaps," Dr. Weselton laughed loudly as she turned towards the other table guests for approval of her joke. The chorus of laughter of everyone near Elsa nauseated her.

"Excuse me, for just a moment. I need to powder my nose," Elsa mumbled. She took the napkin out of her lap and tossed it on the table. Aware of her obvious lie, everyone's head turned as she walked away. The laughter ended as they were unsure, if they had all offended her. Elsa grudgingly stormed past Anna's table. The last thing she wanted was to hear her peppy sister's reaction to her proposal.

"Hans," Dr. Weselton whispered. She pointed at Elsa with her chin. "Bring her back." Hans stood up and followed Elsa. The sight of Anna waving frantically to talk about her proposal made Elsa feel worse. Although she planned on retreating to the women's restroom, Elsa stopped in the middle of the busy ballroom. She closed her eyes because she couldn't stand the loud, red carpet or bright, white walls. Hans turned her around in her place, catching her off guard.

"Is everything okay?"

"I'm not having your kids!" She blurted.

"What!?" Confused, Hans stared at her.

"I will not be your wife!" Hans held her shoulders to calm her down.

"No, let me go!" She tried to push him off, but he ignored her. His grip on her shoulders tightened. "Hans, I'm not going to marry you!"

"Where is all of this coming from?"

"This isn't just a one day proposal. We're engaged now. I'm your fiancé!"

"Calm down."

"You and Dr. Weselton practically tricked me into this. How could you! You've been planning this whole thing behind my back, and you couldn't even grant me my only request: you kissed me when you promised you wouldn't."

"I understand that you're mad, but-"

"And in front of everyone! What's wrong with you!?"

"You're being irrational."

"In front of my own sister!"

"Look, if you just come with me to talk to the main investor, I promise I'll let you go home."

"You think I want to share a ride with my sister and Kristoff after that show you put on!?"

"I'll drive you," Hans offered. It pained her to admit, but his hold on her was a reassuring comfort.

"Let's just get it over with." Elsa took in a deep breath and nodded. He held her hand romantically as he pulled her into the crowd of people. Random male hands patted his back roughly as a congratulations. Women tried to pry envious looks at Elsa's ring with phony celebratory comments. Hans saw an old man with a serpent cane, just the way Dr. Weselton had described the main investor. Hans couldn't find anything about the investor that he remembered from the charity ball. The investor wasn't what he had imagined. The old man was the thinnest man in the room, and he oddly wore a red cloak with his black suit. To Hans' surprise, the old man strolled to them. He stomped his cane against the ground twice, making Elsa stare into the golden snake's eyes.

"Your proposal was quiet touching," He extolled. "You may call me Jafar." Elsa squinted as she analyzed at him. He wasn't the exotic, Arabian beauty that she had heard of in her novels. He twisted his black, pointed beard.

"Thank you, sir," Elsa mumbled. Jafar looked at her ravenously; both were unaware of his reputation for lusting for younger girls.

"Ah, yes. You two have got it, my pets."

"Got what?" Hans chimed in cautiously. It bothered Hans that he couldn't figure out what the investor thought of them.

"True love. The truest of love. Now tell me, my dears, when will your wedding be?" Hans felt Elsa squeezing his hand.

"We haven't decided, yet. After all, we were just engaged only a moment ago."

"No wedding plans? Do you not love her, boy?" Jafar tested. Caught off guard, Elsa and Hans looked at each other.

"H-he loves me, sir." She regretted her unconvincing tone. Elsa felt like she was about to break into a nervous sweat. She remembered Hans warning her that their jobs were on the line over this money.

Hans objected, "We'll certainly send you an invitation when we figure out a date."

Jafar murmured, "Don't think I don't know what's really going on here."

"What do you mean?" the red head asked. Unable to swallow, Elsa felt her throat get dry. Her mind raced: _this__was it. It's ruined._

"You don't think I'm a fool, do you?" Jafar gurgled. "I know you're both after my money!"

"No, wait! Please!" she begged.

"It was a joke... sort of. Rest assured that I will be investing because of you two. I truly was touched by the display. Well I am pleased to meet you both. I must go now to speak with others, but congratulation on your engagement. May you two never part." With a twirl of his cape, the investor vanished into the crowd. Elsa grinned as Hans playfully nudged her.

"Elsa that was it! We did it. Let's head to the valet, and I'll tell Dr. Weselton you're sick or something, so we can go. Wait here." Hans fled back to their table as Elsa saw Anna running up to her.

"Oh, no," Elsa groaned.

"Elsa! Oh, Elsa! I told you it was true love!" Anna hugged her sister. "That was the most romantic thing I've ever seen in my life. I could even see the ring from back there! Oh boy, and that _kiss_." Elsa covered her reddening cheeks, thankful that Kristoff didn't join Anna in order to see her embarrassment.

"You saw all of that, huh?" Elsa croaked.

"I was so inspired by you, you pretty _bride!_You should invite Hans to move in with us! I'm so excited for your wedding! I even was hoping Kristoff would pop the question next. I'm so glad we both found 'the one.' True love is beautiful!"

"What!? No, nobody is getting married! Especially not you. You just met Kristoff!"

"Big sis, that's a bit hypocritical," Anna said in a sing-song fashion. Hans returned, looking just a relieved as Elsa was to finally be leaving.

"I'll leave you two soul mates to be. See you home! Oh, and we should all have a big family dinner sometime. I want to meet his family!" Anna waved as she departed

"No!" Hans and Elsa said in unison.

After they got Hans' new, black Mercedes-Benz from the valet, Elsa enjoyed the quiet, night-time ride. She leaned her head against the window, but her curiosity got the best of her.

"Hans, did you buy a new car? What happened to the other one?"

"I just didn't want it anymore," Hans brushed off. He remembered how badly his brothers had damaged his old car. "So," Hans changed the topic, "Your sister seems spritely."

"I think she likes you more than I do," Elsa sighed.

"Is that possible?" She could hear cockiness in his voice.

"Hey! You wish! I am definitely not all over you, okay," Elsa laughed. She could see him taking peaks between her and the unlit road.

"I'm just kidding," Hans smirked. "Don't be such a princess all the time." They pulled up to her driveway, and she was relieved to see that Anna's car hadn't arrived it. She figured she still had time to hide in her room before Anna could find her. Hans opened her car door as she slipped out.

"I'm exhausted from all of this acting."

"It's not over yet," Hans sighed. "Don't forget that." He leaned on the wall, near the doorbell.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Hans." She opened the door, and turned to face him.

"Goodnight, princess." Elsa squinted at him.

"I'm a queen." She slammed the door.

* * *

AN: Sorry for the long wait! I was just busy with school. More chapters to come.


	14. Chapter 14

Ready to leave the company dinner, Anna sat in her car gripping the steering wheel tightly despite the car still being parked. Kristoff eyed her cautiously.

"Everything alright?"

"Something just seems weird about this whole proposal. Elsa was never this outgoing before," Anna puffed. Her tulle dress bunched oddly as she stuffed the fabric into its proper place. Kristoff stared at Anna's freckled face.

"You know, when we were kids, Elsa was always blue. She felt blue. She wore blue. She was just... the color _blue._ Our parents tried so many different treatments to help her, like giving her the rest cure where you lock a depressed girl in a room to limit any stressors. Elsa was a quiet girl, so it seemed like it'd work, you know," Anna muttered. Flashbacks of Elsa's screaming every time there was a lightning storm. She could still hear her voice crying, "Not shock therapy! No more shock therapy!" Anna dug her nails into the steering wheel again.

"And," she spoke again. "I would never understand why she felt the way she did: why she would shake her head when I told her she was pretty, why she would wear long sleeves even in the hot summer, why she wouldn't look me in my eyes as if she couldn't stand me anymore, why her smile said she was okay, while her eyes said otherwise, why at night she'd tell me 'goodbye' instead of 'goodnight.' Now I understand why she did that stuff."

Gloomily, she chortled, "That's why I'm so proud of her for getting engaged. She's come a long way. I only wish I could be a part of it." Kristoff took her hand in both of his. He knew there wasn't anything he could say to make Anna feel better.

"But if Hans ever hurts her, I'll punch him in the face!" Anna flashed her teeth in a goofy grin trying to make light of the depressing topic. In silence, they sat in the car alone for hours. Not talking, not touching. Just being together. Kristoff's company was what she needed in that time.

* * *

The morning came in quickly. Elsa was working in the back of the grey storage room, looking for more files that Dr. Weselton had requested. The walls were loaded with files and documents all over the place. Looking through a box, Elsa found binders that she hoped held what she was after. She was glad to be in the backroom since she was sick of hearing her coworkers give her congratulations. It felt odd to her since none of them ever liked the interns anyway. She tucked a loose lock of hair back into her bun. Her black A-line, tea-length dress made her feel like she was an actual intern again instead of the company bride. Looking over her shoulder, Elsa could over hear Hans rummaging through her lunch.

"Is that my sandwich you're eating?" She eyed his dark grey suit.

"You were planning on eating the whole thing alone in one sitting? It's a foot long, Els." He folded the elegant, white napkin she wrapped it in lower, so he could take another bite.

"If you're implying that just because I'm a girl it isn't natural for me to be hungry, then..."

"Fine. I'll let you finish it," he apologized, disappointed that his guilt trip didn't work to score him a free lunch.

"Well why are you back here?" Forgetting his previous offer, he threw the rest of her lunch in the trash can next to him.

"For you, actually. I think some people might be onto us, so Dr. Weselton wanted me to take you around town today."

"To be seen in public?" Elsa turned away from the black, wooden table in front of her to face him. He looked so extraordinarily handsome that she wished she could photograph him from where he stood. "It might be fun," she mused. He unexpectedly held her waist. Trying to ignore him, Elsa continued, "Um, w-when do we start?" Hans lightly pushed her hips into the table. Elsa's hands went behind her for support.

"Any time we want," he said smoothly. He took a step closer.

"Are-are you flirting with me?" Elsa batted her eyelashes in confusion. Hans swiped the documents on the table that she was previously blocking.

"I just needed some paperwork," he said slyly. "But if you want me to flirt with you..."

"Get out," she commanded. She was glad that she was finally getting some work done. She had spent so many days distracted by Dr. Weselton's and Hans' deceptions. Their set date only made her uncomfortable that it was pulling her right back into the lying game.

* * *

After work had ended, Hans drove Elsa to the local square of uptown Arendelle for their staged date. It was a charming and small town in the winter. It was the gossip that Dr. Weselton counted on to solidify the rumors of their true love, and it was the very thing that Elsa couldn't stand. It bothered Hans how quiet Elsa had been their entire car ride despite his many attempts to get her to speak.

"We can do anything you want today. I'm all yours," Hans beamed down at her.

"Anything?" she finally opened up. "Let's go to shops we've never been inside. What's inside of that shop over there? The one called 'Fleurs Pour Vous'?"

Hans pulled her inside of the large flower shop. Vases of fresh arrangements lined upon the shelves on the walls. She cupped the blue orchids in her palms.

"I've never seen such an exotic looking blue. It's lovely."

"Then have it, on me," Hans paid the florist before Elsa could object. Elsa carried her bouquet with pride out of the shop.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she chanted. "It's so darling." In her excitement, he kissed her cheek. Suddenly, her blue eyes were filled with confusion that he didn't notice. She took a step away from him. To avoid the newly falling rain, they stumbled into a French pastry shop. Hans pulled out Elsa's chair for her as she sat down. Her mood was improving, and he was glad. He'd take her anywhere to see her smile again. He wanted to be the _reason_ she smiled. Elsa rested her bouquet on the table, and he ordered them a tiny chocolate cake to share. An hour had flown by of them chatting with their dessert.

"How did you know I liked chocolate? Assuming all girls like chocolate, I see?" Elsa bantered as she dipped her spoon into the rich cake.

"You're not like other girls." He touched her limp hand. Her eyes focused on the way the light gleamed off of his perfect, reddish hair.

"Is that what you think?" Elsa blushed. "Well you don't really know me, Hans." The happiness left her voice. He wanted to bring back her spirit, but she only gazed out the window somberly.

"I know this other place we could go to next. There's always a ton of people inside it, so it fits Dr. Weselton's orders. It's just across the street. Do you want to go?" Giving the window all of her attention, Elsa pulled her hand away from his.

"I could get you fresh, new dessert for you to take home, if you'd like, too?" Hans offered. Elsa's smile that he thought he caused was robbed from him. He couldn't bare it.

"Elsa, what's wrong?"

"I'm just thinking." She wouldn't touch her plate.

"About what?" he sounded concerned. She refused to answer him. "Let's head outside. I want to talk to you," Hans suggested. She shook her head. "Els, What's the matter? I want to talk to you."

"No," Elsa crossed her arms and turned away from him, still focusing on the window.

"What's going on with you?" With every word, he could feel her withdrawing herself from him.

"Please, just leave me alone," she requested softly. He tilted her face towards him.

"Elsa, I love you," he sternly announced. With wide eyes, she met his glare with a worried expression. Elsa stood up abruptly, and bolted for the door and into the rain. The sound of the bells chimed as she left. The other guests stared at the commotion. Hans rose and followed her, stopping her before she could walk past the next door shop. He grasped her wrists more rough than he intended in order to stop her from going further.

"Let me go!" He only pulled her closer.

"No, you're not going anywhere. I said I love you."

"You're too used to getting your way. Hans, just leave me alone," she demanded.

"Not until you talk to me." Elsa could tell he was getting frustrated.

"You or Dr. Weselton can't force me to talk to you. You don't own me. Everybody thinks they own me, but everybody happens to be wrong." Hans released her, expecting her to flee. She stood in place, face-to-face with him. Teary eyed, Elsa began, "I can't take this fake relationship we've gotten into. It's gotten out of proportion. I just can't go on watching you pretend like you care about me. I'm done with all of the tricks, secrets, and lies. I don't care, if I get fired. I want to go home." Although her hair and dress were now wet, she was glad the rain hid any tears she might have.

"I don't want to own you. I want to love you. You were never supposed to mean this much to me. I never wanted to feel anything for you, but I do. That's the truth, and it only keeps me holding on because it hurts like hell to let you go."

"How rehearsed! I know you think I'm blind enough to believe in your lies, but I'm not. I know you've been using me for your own gain this whole time. How dare you lie about loving me...because what if I did something even worse like believe you? You're so unbearably manipulative."

"What if I really love you?" Hans asked. Elsa stared at his tauntingly handsome eyes through the foggy rain. Hans debated, "What if I was in love with you the entire time?" He held her more intimately than she was prepared for. Her rain soaked waist felt like it belonged to him.

"Leave me alone, Hans." She tore herself away from him. The long skirt of her wet dress stuck to his legs. Elsa whistled for a cab, relieved when she saw a yellow taxi pull up. She got inside of the cab without saying another word.

* * *

AN: We're getting closer to the ending soon, you guys ;)


	15. Chapter 15

Arriving at her mansion, Elsa ran up the stairs of her room. Anna, sitting in her own bedroom, was drawing a flower on her thigh with a green pen when Elsa came in. The sound of Elsa's bedroom door slamming made her jump, causing her pen to glide over her skin by mistake.

Elsa's cellphone was chiming with phone calls from Hans. She threw it on her bed with a bounce, ignoring it. She slumped down onto the ground, curling in a ball. She eyed the mirror from the floor. Her dress was still wet, and her hair was a mess. The ringing persisted, no matter how often he reached her voice mail. He kept calling and calling. She took a purple, frilled pillow and sobbed into it. It was a trick she had learned long ago to hide the sound of crying from her family. She heard a knocking on her door, which only made her feel more frustrated since she wanted to be alone.

"Elsa, please. I know you're in there." Anna's muffled voice called. Still on the floor, Elsa propped her upper half of her body on her elbows. Her face freed from the pillow, she listened to Anna.

"Go away, Anna." Elsa was proud that her sobbing didn't show in her voice.

"Just let me in. You don't have to be afraid."

"Leave me." Elsa's eyebrows perked up when she heard the sound of text messages being sent to her phone. She stood up and grabbed her phone, interested in what Hans might have sent her.

"Please, don't shut me out again. You don't have to keep your distance anymore," Anna begged. Elsa curiously swiped her phone open to see her texts. She was determined that no matter what he wrote she wouldn't reply.

"You're scaring me! Answer me! How do I know you aren't hurting yourself in there?" Elsa pondered if Anna knew how uncomforting it was to hear her say that. It felt accusing. Elsa hadn't had any episodes in years, and she didn't like being reminded of it. Offended, Elsa started to ignore her on purpose.

"I can tell something's wrong!" Anna shouted. The noise Anna made by rattling her locked door knob persisted. She read the texts from Hans to herself.

...

8:45 PM: Plz answer me

8:45 PM: I need to talk to u

8:46 PM: I'm sorry. I really am

8:51 PM: Els?

8:53 PM: It's important

9:00 PM: I know ur getting these

9:05 PM: Call me

...

Elsa waited, wondering if he'd send another text. She swiped her streaming mascara off of her cheeks. She groaned at the last message. There was something about phone calls Elsa always hated. She'd struggle with interrupting people when they spoke because she wasn't there to see their body language suggest when they would speak. Now, with Hans, she certainly wouldn't want to sit through another unbearable phone call. Regardless, Elsa certainly wasn't in the mood to deal with his drama.

"You better answer me! Why are you doing this? You were so happy yesterday. You're engaged to your true love," Anna howled. Elsa closed her eyes, and put her phone back down on her bed.

"No, I'm not!" Elsa finally barked. "Anna, you don't know anything about love. You don't!" Elsa plopped down on her bed, wanting to fall apart.

"You're in love, but you're too much of a coward to admit it. That's what I know," Anna theorized.

"I'm not a coward, and I'm not in love! You want the truth? The whole time it was a fraud. All of it. Now leave me alone." Anna was taken back by the sadness in her voice that leaked through the door. Anna wasn't sure was Elsa had meant, so she dismissed it.

"You're in love, but you're unhappily in love. It won't get any better, if you keep bottling up your emotions."

"Anna, we're not really engaged. We were never in a relationship. It was all a scam. We started pretending to date because it made Dr. Weselton open doors for us. She took it a step further and made us get engaged to get investors' attention."

"I... what? Open the door and talk to me! Elsa, you're too shy to correct waiters who bring you the wrong order at restaurants. There's no possible way you could have done an elaborate scheme. You're joking."

"I'm not joking."

"Stop kidding around. I know you're mad, but that's no excuse to just-"

"Anna!" Elsa shouted. Rolling her eyes, Anna was still skeptical of Elsa's claims.

"He still stole your heart, and you're just being a big baby about it. Why are you so afraid to be happy? I don't care how many excuses or doors you hide behind."

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Elsa bawled.

Anna sighed, "Are you going to pretend you're too sick to go to work again tomorrow?" Elsa pulled the covers over her head.

"No, the only thing worse than going back is not going back." Her phone beeped again.

* * *

The next day, Elsa timidly walked into the office. She wore an all-black dress suite with a black pencil skirt in hopes that she could blend in with her coworkers as much as possible. Her coworkers stared at her as if they knew something. Surly gossip must have been circulating. One with bright red haired girls came up to her. This girl always claimed her hair was natural, but it was far brighter than Anna's had ever been.

"I never got to a chance to say congratulations, Ella," she croaked. Elsa's eyes widened at the sound of the wrong name.

"Thank you, Ariel. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine! I just lost my voice." The red head put her hand around her sore throat. "What happened? Where's your ring?" Ariel pointed at her hand. She certainly did have a lot of questions.

"I thought it'd be a bit too flashy at work."

"Nonsense," Ariel giggled. "Hey, Dr. Weselton wanted you to go in the storage room and pull the files of the investors. Especially one about... What was his name? Jeffery? Jamal? You know the guy I mean."

"Sure thing. Um, Ariel?"

"Yes?"

"Have you seen Hans, by any chance?" Elsa bit her lip, nervous that he'd suddenly pop up by the mention of his name.

"Bless your heart. You must miss him!"

"Right," Elsa lied. She actually wanted to avoid him.

"Well I haven't seen him today. I don't know where he could be. Don't let him catch you without your ring, naughty." Ariel playfully winked before turning away. Tip toeing away, Elsa peeked around the wall of the storage room to make sure Hans wasn't in there. It was empty. She pulled out a box, looking for a file that her branch kept on the investors. She was curious about Jafar. She flipped it open, checking around to make sure no one would find her snooping. She was so engrossed with his odd records, she jumped when she heard the back room door swing open and slam shut.

"It was an accident! I wasn't going through these..." Elsa tried to justify. She stopped short when she saw it was Hans who came in. There was a pause. "Hello," Elsa mumbled.

"I wasn't trying to follow you. I... I didn't know you were back here." He assured her. It was hard for Elsa to think of something to say after the scene they had yesterday. Her voice stopped him from leaving.

"I'm sorry I got to upset last night. It didn't need to go down the way it did." She tugged on her braid nervously. He stared at her for a long time before answering her. The awkwardness was thick in the air.

"Did you get my texts?" He took a few steps closer to her side of the room, and she nervously clung to Jafar's file. She didn't want to admit to ignoring him, but she knew it wasn't very believable that she never noticed any of his attempts to contact her.

"I was busy," she blurted. She pretended to be reading the file again. "It was really late, too." She heard him take another step closer, and she pretended to review the file.

"Do you have a second to talk?" Her heart raced.

"No, there's nothing to talk about," she denied.

"What do you mean there's nothing to talk about? There's everything to talk about."

"Well, I don't have the time to talk about everything."

"Elsa, you're going to have to stop ignoring me eventually." He pushed the file that she was burying her nose in down slowly, giving her nothing to hide behind.

"I'm just busy. That's all."

"It's not easy for me to see you either," Hans admitted. Elsa turned back to the box and flipped through the files.

"Would you at least look at me?" He insisted. She kept rummaging through the box hoping he'd give up. He leaned again the wall next to her, waiting on her to run out of things to avoid him with.

Elsa digressed, "I have to give this to Dr. Weselton. It's urgent." She picked up a stack of files at random and marched past him.

"Elsa, stop. Just listen to me." She tried to storm away, but her nervousness caused her grip to fail. All of the files crashed to the floor. She plopped on her knees trying to collect the mess she had made. Hans bent down to help her. It bothered her how close he was kneeling to her, so she did her best to only look at the bunched papers in her hands. He saw her left hand was bare. Pretending not to notice, Elsa tried to hide her ring-less finger between the papers.

"I'm busy. Leave me alone." Sorrow dripped in her words.

"If you'd just let me-"

"No, you may not." She interrupted. She aggressively started stacking the papers messily into a pile in her arms. "I can't talk to you, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Please, stop," she fretted. She felt tears form in her eyes. She was afraid if she cried that first tear that the tears would not stop raining down. "I really don't want to hear it." Hans couldn't stand it when women cried. He never knew how to make it stop. It was particularly odd to him since Elsa always gave off the impression of being an emotional rock that could take anything. Stunned for a moment, he watched her placing the papers back onto the floor neatly.

"No, wait. I'm sorry. Please, don't cry." Elsa hated that he pointed it out. She tried to blink the tears out of her eyes, but it only sent them rolling down her face.

"I'm not," she sniffed. He decided to save his news for later. He put his arm around her, and she covered her face with her hands. She was embarrassed that he got to see how vulnerable she was. It was a comfort to feel him protectively holding her. Fighting the urge to lean into his chest, she enjoyed the safe feeling he provided. But how could he be her protector, if he was the reason she was in tears? Hans caressed her back whispering apologizes. She tried not to listen, afraid that she might believe him. Sniffling, she figured that's what she gets for letting her heart win. Elsa was unaware that a part of Hans liked being the one to comfort her, yet he was conflicted knowing he was the reason she needed to be comforted. He was even more tortured by the fact that he was in love with her, while she made it clear she didn't want him to pursue her. She made a decision that she pretended was a form of strength, but was really a form of weakness. She'd spent years building walls around herself, and she wasn't going to let Hans be the one to penetrate her kingdom of isolation. Her own sister wasn't enough to do it. She figured the few times she had let him in it only ended in her getting hurt, anyway.

"Do me a favor and go." She finally spoke up.

"Are you sure?" _She wasn't_.

"Yes," she whimpered. It stung Hans to hear her say it. He reluctantly nodded and walked out of the storage room, closing the door behind him. She took in a deep breath to calm herself, collecting to files into a stack. Elsa then grabbed a napkin to hide any evidence of her sobbing. She told herself it was for the best if they avoided each other, but she wasn't sure Hans had come to that conclusion. She stood up and went to a shelf where she always kept her lunch to grab her tea. Her throat was dry from crying, and she could really use tea to lift her spirits. Elsa pause before the shelf.

"Oh, no. He didn't," she protested with herself. She reached out and touched the blue orchid bouquet that she had abandoned yesterday.

* * *

AN: To anyone worrying, this is not the last chapter. I will make sure it is clear when the last chapter is. I need to write several more before I can reach an ending. Enjoy this one until the next comes out!


	16. Chapter 16

Elsa came out of the storage room and placed the file on Jafar on Dr. Weselton's desk. Dr. Weselton was sitting in her desk chair, facing the wall instead of Elsa.

"Vanessa came back, damn it," Dr. Weselton cursed. There was something about the way her boss said the name that made Elsa alert.

"Who's Vanessa?" Dr. Weselton swiveled around at the sound of Elsa's voice.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were Hans. You can go."

"Who's Vanessa, Doctor?"

"Not your concern, dear. How was your date?" Dr. Weselton was desperate to change the topic.

"It was perfect," Elsa falsely assured.

"Elsa, where's your ring? You have to wear it at all times. I can't have anyone know this is staged. Go put it on."

"I left it at home. I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Not a big deal!? You do understand the legal repercussions, if we get caught, right?"

"I..." Elsa shook her head. "This is illegal?"

"We would all be ruined, if this gets discovered. I never want to see that finger bare again, is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Tell me you love him. I want to make sure it sounds convincing," Dr. Weselton puffed lit a cigarette that Elsa didn't notice until then. Elsa frowned.

"It's hard to be an actress constantly." She didn't want to hear herself say it out loud. "I'm rather tired, too." The held the urge to cough from the smoke, wondering if it would set off the fire detectors.

"Say it. I can't have a single hole in this fake engagement, you understand? Jafar might be taking a visit the office sometime, and I can't have you looking so miserable. One could easily mistake it for you not being in love." Dr. Weselton pointed at her with the cigarette. "Why are you so miserable? Think of happy thoughts like your date."

"I love him," she whimpered.

"Say it like you mean it. Would it help if I brought him in here?" The smoke spewed out of the boss's nose in a swirling pattern.

"No, I don't need him. I love Hans," she droned louder.

"What a good girl!" Elsa felt like a dog being trained. In a way, she was. The long she was with Hans and Dr. Weselton, the more corrupt things they convinced her to do. And just like a dog, she did it for an award. Elsa covered her arms, slightly repulsed by the situation she had gotten herself into. She partially expected Dr. Weselton to pat her head as a treat. "Now get out of my office."

Elsa walked out of her office, closing the door behind her. She watched Hans typing at his desk. He looked like he was engrossed in his work. She marched towards him.

"Hi?" He said as she pushed hard on his chest to make him lean back. She dominatingly grabbed the collar of his shirt. "You seem mad, Els."

"I'm mad because I discovered there's another secret you and Weselton have been hiding from me. Who's Vanessa?"

"Where did you hear that name?"

"Dr. Weselton. She want you to tell me," she lied.

"Weselton told you about her?" Hans glared at her hand strangling his shirt. It bothered her how he wasn't fazed by her threat. She nodded.

"There's no way she told you. You're lying, Els."

"I'm not lying!" She was flustered he caught her so easily. He put his hand over her grip on him.

"Look, I needed to talk to you about something related anyhow. When's your _break_?" He whispered.

Ariel turned around and glared at them from her desk, watching them exchange secrets. Elsa was raging with anger, and Hans looked like he was trying to contain her.

"Are you two seriously _breaking_ up in the middle of work!?" The fake couple looked at each other.

"No, no, no," Elsa raved.

"Actually, the opposite. Just arguing over wedding details," Hans hummed casually. Elsa's eyes widened, impressed by how good he was improvising. Illiminate any doubts, Hans crashed his lips into Elsa, who was hovering over him. She made a confused noise as he kissed her. It infuriated her that he dared to kiss her, and it also bothered her that she couldn't say she didn't like it.

"My mistake. Aww! That's so sweet! I know the perfect French chief, if you want. He makes wonderful seafood," Ariel giggled.

Elsa pushed him away and whispered to Hans, "Did you seriously advantage of me! You're the most absolute worst-"

"What was that?" Ariel cocked her eyebrow. Hans pulled Elsa in for another kiss against her will, making her regret ever leaning over him to whisper about Vanessa. Ariel figured she misheard Elsa, since they seemed so happily in love. "Oh, well I'll write that number down for you two," Ariel grinned. Elsa stomped on his foot with the heel of her pumps making him let her go.

"Thank you, Ariel. Hans, will you follow me to the elevator?" Elsa pulled his arm behind her, before he could object. He was shocked at how Elsa swapped from being vulnerable to powerful in one day. They stood in the empty elevator lobby.

Elsa fumed, "You just can't go around kissing people! Particularly not people who you're not really engaged to!"

"I wouldn't have had to do that, if you weren't such a bratty princess that even our coworkers thought I'd dump you."

"How dare you!" Elsa gasped. "And stop calling me a princess all the time!"

"Well you act like one constantly, and I couldn't have Ariel spreading rumors that we were breaking up."

"You didn't just kiss me to put on a show for them. You clearly were enjoying it." She hit his shoulder disapprovingly.

"I'm not trying to take advantage of you."

"Hard words to believe from a man who claims to be madly in love with you."

"Now you're choosing to believe it?"

Elsa turned red, "Who's Vanessa?"

"More importantly, yesterday-"

"No. No, we're not talking about yesterday. I made it clear that yesterday is off limits," Elsa exclaimed. He had stressing news to share, yet Elsa assumed he only wanted to discuss his feelings for her again. His love for her only got in the way of their tangled lies. She did her best not to think of how she felt about him loving her, but when her mind drifted, she thought of him.

"But it has something to do with Vanessa... in a way." He hoped the mention of Vanessa would peek her interest.

"You were with me the whole time. How could it involve some other girl?"

Hans hesitated, "It's not easy to explain. I can't squeeze it into a five minute conversation."

"You're trying to buy time to hide something from me."

He scoffed, "No." Elsa glared at him, and he looked like he was about to laugh at how she was overly inspecting his actions.

"You think this is funny?"

He smiled, "I didn't say anything."

"Fine, I'll trust you just this once. We'll meet again, but you better tell me everything."

"I'll put a sticky note on your lunch or something of where we'll meet. I'd tell you now, but I don't want to take the chance of any more coworkers overhearing anything," He spat accusingly.

Elsa floated back to her desk. After her shift ended around five o'clock, Elsa went to the storage room to find the note Hans left her. It wasn't a sticky note, but a folded piece of paper.

"He wants me to meet him in the executive garage? That's weird," Elsa thought to herself. She placed the note back on the shelf, grabbing her purse. She set out to the only parking garage there was. It wasn't the outdoor parking lot that she and the other employees used. It was a special one intended only for Dr. Weselton and other important people to the company wanted to reward. After getting lost a few times, Elsa found it colossal garage. It was wide open, and looked more well-kept than she had assumed. Elsa strolled inside, touching the trunk of a silver, shining Mercedes-Benz. Elsa pondered as to why all of the cars had their motors running. The noise was loud enough to give her a headache. She looked at the boring license plate numbers, counting twenty cars. She figured the garage could hold more cars than just twenty. Perhaps fifty. She couldn't spot Hans anywhere inside. Suddenly, the massive garage doors slid shut like iron walls being locked by some remote control device.

"Wait, who's there? Please, I can't stay in here!" She echoed. "Hello?" Elsa was already coughing from the car fumes. She started to feel light headed from the carbon monoxide being produced by all twenty cars. She walked over to the wall-like garage door, unable to lift it. With quick thinking, she tried to call for help on her cellphone, but there was no reception.

"Oh my God, I'm really stuck," she coughed. Elsa decided she'd go from car to car to turn them off as her last plan. She ran to the first one, twisting the key to shut it off. She stumbled over to the next car weakly. Feeling light headed, she leaned against the hood of a red sports car. "Let me out! Please!" She knew nobody could hear her. "Somebody help!" With the poisoning making her forgetful and desperate, she left the running cars and knocked has hard as she could on the garage doors until she felt too dizzy to stand. She fell too her knees, unable to think clearly. Elsa collapsed completely, feeling more tired than she had ever before. She had a hard time even holding her head up. "Help," she rasped. Suddenly, Hans pressed a button from the outside to open the huge garage doors.

"Elsa!" Hans pulled her to her feet. "I've been looking for you for hours. Come outside. You could die." With her arms draped around his neck, he dragged Elsa outside of the garage. She was clearly out of her healthy mind. Forgetting her purse inside, Hans forced Elsa to take deep breaths.

Hans reasoned, "Elsa, I think Vanessa wrote that note telling you to meet me down here. I found my letter crumpled on the ground when I found hers. I can't believe you fell for it. Her handwriting doesn't even look anything like mine, and you see my handwriting on documents all the time. It's a good thing I found the notes before it was too late." She had a difficult time keeping up with what he said and immediately fainted. He swung her over his shoulder, carrying her towards the outdoor parking lot for air. As much as he liked the excuse of getting to hold her, he was concerned for her safety and health. Vanessa had just tried to kill her and almost succeeded.

"What's happening?" She woke up again, realizing her only view was of his flexed, clothed back. "You can put me down. I'm fine," she grumbled in a confused state.

"You fainted." He stopped in place to scan the area for a spot he could let her rest.

"I promise you can put me down. I promise on everything." Believing her, he slid her off of his shoulder onto the ground. Her eyes shut, and she weakly fell into his arms. He swiftly swept her up bridal style.

"I guess I shouldn't have trusted you while you're delirious." He knew it wasn't safe to let her drive herself even if she woke up. He decided he'd drive her home. Hoping she'd wake up soon, Hans knew he it'd look odd delivering Elsa to her family while she was unconscious.

"I love you," she slurred her speech.

"Do you even know who I am?" He laughed. He took a glimpse down at her, admiring the way the light shinned off of her golden hair.

"No," she admitted. "I don't love you. I. Love. Hans," she said as a matter-of-fact.

"Is that so?" He had a feeling that she was just babbling nonsense.

"That's what my boss tells me," she hummed. "She says I love him."

"But do you?" His interest showed in is voice.

"Do I what? I do a lot of stuff. Please put me down now, stranger. I-I can walk."

"I don't think that's a good idea," he reasoned.

"Have you ever met Hans Wester...something?"

"Met him? I can't say I have." He tried his best not to laugh at her.

"He's wildly handsome and _rich!_" she bragged.

"Where did you hear that?"

"No, I've met him! Say, how do you even know Hans? Are you... You must be Anna. Your voice is getting too deep, Anna. Anna, I don't feel good." Before he could ask her another question, she faded back out.

He carried her to his car and put in the backseat, letting her lay down. She rubbed her eyes.

"Where are we?" She dozed off again.

"It's okay. Just relax, Els." He drove her home quickly, watching her through the mirrors. He had never seen someone passed out before. He couldn't recall when he did on the day his brothers beat him, which only made sense since he wasn't awake to remember it. Elsa didn't wake up during the ride, which made him worry. She looked like she was asleep, breathing peacefully. He quickly pulled up her driveway. He opened the car door and carefully slipped her over his shoulder again.

Kristoff walked to the knocking door. He had no idea why someone was rapidly, rudely knocking so much. His eyes widened as he took in the scene of Hans carrying Anna's sister over his shoulder. Hans looked stressed, and Kristoff couldn't help but notice that Elsa wasn't moving. He scratched his blonde hair.

"Anna, I think you might want to come and see this." Kristoff whipped the extra flour on his hands on the pink apron he borrowed from Anna earlier. He was embarrassed Hans caught him wearing something so ridiculous, while Hans was in a sharp suit.

Anna squealed back, "I told you, I'm making cookies! If it's the pizza guy, I left the money on the table." Kristoff let Hans in, saving his snarky comments about Hans for later.

"What did you do to her?" Kristoff glared at him as he laid her cautiously on the leather couch.

"I didn't do this. I'm the one who saved her."

"Anna's either going to think you're prince charming or kill you for roofieing her sister."

"You know I didn't roofie her," Hans glared. They both stared at Elsa to make sure she was breathing.

"You gave her back unconscious. I don't know what else to believe."

Anna skipped in to the living room with them. She sang, "Baby, I hope that is the pizza guy you're talking to, because I'm starving." She stared at her fainted sister between the two young men.

"Oh my God! What happened? Is Elsa okay? Why is she out cold?" Anna screamed. She held Elsa's freezing face with her flour covered hands. "Do I call an ambulance?"

"She was stuck in a garage with several cars running," Hans informed her. Kristoff crossed his arms, unexcited that his girlfriend was having a real conversation with his rival.

"You absolute knight in shining armor! You rescued her," Anna cried. Hans beamed at disappointed Kristoff with victory. "God, did she do this to herself? Was she attempting... you know...?" Anna shook Elsa, wondering if it'd wake her. Elsa had had so many depressing spells, Anna always feared that one day Elsa would become suicidal. She checked Elsa's pulse.

"No, no. She was stuck. She wasn't in there for long," Hans corrected.

"I'm so relieved. Well, I think she just needs to rest until she's better. She looks alright. Thank you for bringing her back. I'm so lucky you were with my sister when this happened. Hans, do you want to stay for dinner? You could use a meal after hauling Elsa around, I bet. I know how heavy she is, so I could imagine how hard it was carrying her... Don't tell her I said that."

"No," Kristoff and Hans said in unison to the idea of him staying. "I should head back," Hans finished alone.

"If you're going to marry my sister, I want to get to know you better."

"I'm sure Elsa could tell you everything about me. There's not much to know, anyway."

"But Elsa fainted," Anna laughed. "She can't tell me a thing!"

The blonde man spat, "I'm sure I could tell you all the terrible things there are to know about pretty boy over here."

"Kristoff!" Anna shouted.

"And look, her ring is off. Looks like she finally came to her sense about marrying you," Kristoff laughed. The comment bothered Hans because it was truer than Kristoff had realized.

Anna grunted, "I won't tolerate negativity. Hans, please stay."

"I don't trust my buddy Kristoff's judgment, but I just don't think it'd feel right to be dining in Elsa's home while she's unconscious like that."

Anna persisted. "We're going to be family, you know." Hans never considered that their fake engagement would ever go as far as an actual wedding, especially since Elsa rejected him after he confessed his love for her. There wasn't much for him to go off of from that.

"Some other time. I'll make it up to you by taking you and Elsa to this amazing new restaurant on the East side." Hans promised. Kristoff was jealous of how excited Anna was by the idea of it.

"You'd really take me?" Anna giggled as she twisted her hair.

"Of course," Hans recited. Anna giggled louder as Hans took her hand delicately to kiss it goodnight. Although he wanted to impress Elsa's sister, he didn't realize it was so easy to woo her. It was a refreshing change since he had to try so hard with Elsa. It was a bonus that it made Kristoff jealous.

"Don't be so insecure, Kristoff. It's just a dinner. I'm not trying to steal both sisters." Anna snorted in laughter at the joke, making Kristoff envious that Anna found him funny. Hans left, assuring them that Elsa should be fine.

"Kristoff, do you really think we don't need to call an ambulance?"

"I used to work at a car shop over the summer. I've seen this happen in way bigger amounts than what Hans described. She'll be fine. I'd let her sleep it off. If she isn't awake by tomorrow, take her to a doctor."

"Okay, I trust you." Anna looked at Elsa with worry.

"You-you do?"

"Very much." She stood on her tip toes and tried to kiss him. He stopped her in place.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. Not in front of Elsa," he sheepishly requested.

"She's not awake, and you look really adorable in pink," Anna pulled him into her kiss by his flower patterned apron straps.

* * *

AN: It will probably be a while before i can post another chapter. I promise I won't abandon this story, though. Enjoy! I love reading your reviews.


	17. Chapter 17

While lying on the couch with her cheek squished on the pillow, Elsa's eyes shot open and darted around the bright living-room. She had stayed in the same spot Hans had left her hours ago. She quickly leaned up, and straightened her skirt to cover her legs more. Her eyes were stinging from leaving her mascara on too long, and her shoulder was aching from sleeping on her side. She flinched when she saw Anna pop into the corner of her vision.

"Wanna build a snowman?" Anna sleekly jested. Elsa peered out the window from where she sat, but the night's darkness made it hard to tell, if it was actually snowing. Anna reached to straighten her blonde, messy, tangled braid, but Elsa pushed her sister's freckled hand away. The rejected red head crossed her arms over her pink, flowing top. The triangular shaped caused by the volume of the billowing fabric reminded Elsa of a feminine nightgown.

"How did I get in here?" Elsa mumbled.

"Your hottie fiancé, duh. It's a good thing, too. I would have had to call the ambulance, if he and Kristoff didn't tell me what to do with you." Anna put her hands on Elsa's stiff shoulders without her permission. Elsa hated how touchy her sister was.

"I don't understand..."

"You can't remember anything, Biggles?"

"What? What's that word even mean? Just... Ew, don't call me that."

"Focus, Biggles! I need to know, if your memory is okay." Elsa tried to concentrate on what happened before she blacked out.

"I can recall Hans pulling me out of the garage. He said something, but I wasn't able to pay attention. My mind's blank after that."

"He saved your life and carried you here. He said you were stuck in some garage, but he found you. You fainted because you were bored, I guess. It's a miracle you woke up tonight!"

"Bored?" Elsa squinted.

"I'm joking! But really Elsa, I was so scared for you. Please, how are you feeling? Do you want to see a doctor?" Elsa stared at the dark circles under Anna's eyes, unsure if that meant that Anna had stayed up all night to watch her.

"I'm fine," Elsa dismissed.

"I'll go call a doctor's office."

"No, I just said... Anna, come back!" Elsa shouted as Anna disappeared into another room for a phone. It was four o'clock in the morning, and Elsa wondered if it was Anna who needed the resting more than she did. No private medical offices would be open at that hour. Anna walked back inside with her cellphone to her ear.

"Where's your ring?" Anna snatched Elsa's left hand to examine her bare finger.

"Um, I-I just didn't feel like wearing it," Elsa muttered. "It's just heavy to wear sometimes with all of those diamonds." Anna flipped her wrist over, as if it was hiding on her palm's side.

"Are things working out between you two?" She squeezed her big sister's hand tighter, to show her affection. Memories of her big sister sobbing over her first love clouded her mind. It hurt her to see Elsa forlorn when she had felt downcast so often.

"Yeah, of course."

"Is that the truth?" The red head insisted. Elsa pulled her hand away and rubbed her eye, smearing her already feathered makeup.

"Look I'll wear the ring tomorrow at work, happy?"

"What? You better not go to work tomorrow! You should rest." Anna touched Elsa's forehead to check her temperature. "Promise me, Biggie?" Elsa wasn't quite sure how she had done it, but she managed to find a pet name that irked her more than "Biggles."

"You have my word." The phrase had come out of Elsa mouth so often during her most dishonest moments, it made her feel uncomfortable to say it.

* * *

When the sun rose, Elsa broke her promise more easily than she wanted to admit to herself. She tip-toed to her room, changing into her work attire, while raving through her silvery jewelry box for her engagement ring. She plopped it into her purse and ran down stairs. With neatly braided hair, and a navy dress suit, Elsa sneaked one of her family's black, tall cars to drive herself to work. Dashing across in high heels across elegant cobble stones and quality grass made her slow her pace. She almost fell several times, causing small screams to escape her mouth. After darting to the car, Elsa lost her balance. She leaned onto the hood, regretting her shoe choice. Before she could touch the car's door handle, Anna ran out into the drive way after her.

"You were unconscious only hours ago! You're not driving!" Anna ran towards Elsa, and wrapped her arms around her torso to keep her from leaving.

"Don't tackle me!"

"You lied!" Anna squished her taller sister firmly, causing Elsa to get angry that she couldn't break away. She wiggled, trying to shove her desperate little sister away.

"I'm not trying to be dishonest. I have a job to commit to. It's not fair to everyone else, if I don't show up to work today."

"You're not driving!" Anna released her big sister from her grip, lightly wrinkling Elsa's blouse. She snatched the car keys out of the blonde's fist.

"Hey!"

"No!" Anna shouted.

"I'm going to be late because of you," Elsa deeply sighed. Anna opened the large car door and jumped into the driver's seat.

"You're not driving in this state. But if it's that important, I'll drop you off. Hurry up, and get in!" Anna honked the horn excitedly, causing Elsa to cover her sensitive ears. Elsa slipped inside the car and onto a wide, black, leather seat, dreading Anna's jerky driving skills. Elsa knew she couldn't give any hints that there was something suspicious going on to even her coworkers, and it wasn't like her to miss work. Afraid of getting caught in the engagement scam the company pulled her into, Elsa knew the legal repercussions were too high for herself to handle.

Arriving at work, Elsa slid the glamorous ring back onto her finger with dread. The day Hans had admitted his love for her, she knew she didn't want anything to do with their twisted lying game anymore. She was angry that she had once let herself fall for him, and how she was trying her best to undo it. Feelings would only make things worse. Besides, how could she be certain that Hans was honestly in love with her? After all, he was so convinced that love wasn't real before.

"I'm such a fool. I can't be free," Elsa whispered to herself. She adjusted the shimmering band, watching the hypnotic diamonds in sorrow. A hand tapped her shoulder.

"Hand these to your true love," Ariel giggled. She pushed a large stack of papers into Elsa's arms.

"Alright," Elsa nodded. She looked at Hans sitting across the room at his desk. Holding the papers firmly out of nervousness, Elsa slowly crept towards him. She wasn't excited to hear him gloat about rescuing her and carrying her like a damsel in distress. To her surprise, he looked absorbed into his work. She placed the papers on his desk without saying a word, lingering. Curious about Hans' silence, Elsa watched him until he finally spoke up.

"Here's your purse back, by the way," Hans said nonchalantly. He pulled her designer purse out of a drawer and handed it to her. She eyed him as he tightened his forest green tie calmly.

"Thank you," Elsa cooed. He went back to typing loudly. She continued, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"What do you mean?"

Elsa lied, "I don't know." He pulled out his pen and started taking notes on what he saw on his screen. "Okay, how did you find my purse?"

"Hm? Oh, you forgot the other day." He shrugged, unsure of why she was questioning him. There was certainly no way Elsa could remember what happened after going into the garage. Not on her own, at least. He didn't want to remind Elsa. He hadn't even shared the news with Dr. Weselton, afraid she'd restrict them heavily, and they were already like her puppets.

"Hans, I know you saved me yesterday." He stopped writing, still staring at the paper. Elsa rumbled, "Were you just going to pretend that didn't happen?" He finally looked up at her, as if he was caught red handed.

"I didn't see a point in mentioning it. It would have only make things between us more..." He waited, looking for the perfect word._ Awkward. Tense. Distant. _He decided not to pick any word.

"Well, I wanted to properly thank you." Exhausted from her dramatic morning, Elsa sat on his desk regally, unaware of the seduction that sitting on a man's desk could produce.

"Any time," he promised. She knew that it was a genuine reply. It touched her that he'd be willing to save her again._ Any time. _It was an odd feeling of security to know it was safe to trust someone with your life.

"Is there something I could do to repay you?" Hans watched her high-heeled foot bob near him, her exposed calves peaking from her knee-length pencil skirt. He was amazed by how clueless Elsa was that she was practically serving herself on a sensual platter. The platter being his desk.

"A life debt? I'll think of something," he smirked, eyes glossing over the long, crossed legs on his desk. He relaxed back, folding his arms behind his head.

"What are you doing?" Elsa sat up straighter, alarmed by the desire in his gaze.

"Just enjoying the view." A blush formed on her round face.

"Uh... I..." She stammered. He put his hand on her thigh, surprising her with contact.

"I know I'm 'wildly handsome and rich,' but can you get off of my paper work now?" She hopped onto the floor, hoping that was enough to erase the flirtatious scene that had just occurred.

"Wait, what did you say?"

"You were blabbering that yesterday when you were awake."

"So you really did carry me? I actually said that in real life?"

"Yeah," he nodded cooly.

"I thought that was just another dream." She worried about how much she talked about him in her daze.

"_Another_ dream? How often do you dream of me?" He smirked at her as if he won every debate he'd ever started. What made it worse was that she did often dream of him. Out of all the people in the world, he was the one she thought of when her brain couldn't function right. Her thoughts were set on default to be about him.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Elsa mocked. "I was out of it, okay. It means nothing." He bit his pen, occupying his gloating smile. She was almost angry at him for looking so handsome unintentionally. With looks like his, it was no wonder that he was given anything he ever wanted. She pondered, if that why he liked her. Was she a toy that he wasn't allowed to have and therefore deemed his favorite? He never believed in love, she remembered. Yet he seemed convinced that he was wrong after confessing his feelings for her. Unstable for their affection, distrust, and dislike for each other, Elsa was unable to even figure out what kind of relationship they shared. It felt like something was there, and it wasn't just from the acting they put on for Dr. Weselton. She couldn't bring herself to admit that perhaps he was in love with her as much as she was with him. When she looked at him, she saw the sun and the stars, yet she always thought he only looked at the ground. It stung her raw heart, and she vowed to protect herself. She wouldn't let him get to her. It'd be easier, if he wouldn't have that twinkle in his eye.

"What are you doing after work, Hans?" She was desperate to change the topic. She looked around, thankful that her coworkers were too busy typing and filing documents away. He started taking notes again, once more avoiding giving her all his attention. It was possibly one of his favorite things about Elsa. He never had to worry about giving her enough attention, and she never was concerned with boring him with her quietness. At least, not anymore. She was her own person, and it felt comfortable. Even when he took her on a date, she always stayed herself. Her personality was never lost in his own. Most of the women he had dated changed themselves to his mold, yet Elsa marched to her own beat. It made her lonelier at times, but it was admirable to him. His mind raced over her qualities, as his fondness for her grew. He was crazy about her, and he knew she didn't fully believe it.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Good. Meet me tonight after work ends." Hans' pen slid up out of place and dragging an inked line all the way to the top of the page, ruining his notes. His eyes glossed over her covered thighs, inappropriately guessing what she was wearing under her pencil skirt. He realized where his mind was roaming, and tried to focus on the conversation instead.

"Els, I can't."

"Why not? You just said you were free." Elsa put her hands on her hips sternly.

"I know, but tomorrow instead, okay?"

"No, we're getting it over with tonight. That's final. You said you were free, and I can't wait on this any longer, so I'll see you tonight," Elsa bossed. She strutted away, not giving him a chance to refuse. As much as he wanted to object, he found himself distracted by the view of her leaving. Her swaying hips sent him under her spell.

"Imagine if she had a bigger ass, though. It'd be so much better, oh," a loud, manly voice rejoiced next to him. The man standing next to Hans chortled, "I would say no one wins arguments like Gaston, but Elsa sure does." Gaston bit his burly fist, always a sucker for independent women who were too intelligent to fall for his pickup lines.

"Don't stare at my fiancée's ass," Hans territorially ordered, unable to break his gaze on Elsa's behind. A brunette coworker carrying a book, pushed up her glasses to get a better look at what they were ogling.

"How primeval of you two," the brunette slammed her book shut in rage. "You're both such pigs!" Gaston wasn't sure what her high vocabulary meant, but he could tell from her tone she was displeased. Belle wasn't wrong. Hans was watching Elsa like a wolf lustfully.

"Belle, don't be jealous. You're still my number one," Gaston boomed. Gaston reached for Belle with his hairy arm, but she walked away before he could grab her. "She's just playing hard to get because she has a crush on me," Gaston assured himself.

"No, she clearly doesn't," Ariel whispered with her sore throat.

"Ugh, feminists. Still talking even when they lost their voice," Gaston nagged.

"Bright, young women are sick of swimming around in your misogyny, and ready to stand, and..." Ariel scratchily shouted back. Their bickering pulled Hans out of his trance. He looked at the notes he had previously ruined with regret.

"Huh? Oh, I stopped listening and lost interest after Elsa sat down at her desk. I'm going to go text my bimbettes from the break room," Gaston rudely interrupted. Time rolled by, and they all dispersed back to working. As the company doors were ready to be locked for the night, Hans tried to pack up his things quickly in order to avoid having to meeting with Elsa. He quickly slipped on his coat and stuffed his wallet and sunglasses in his coat pockets. He tried to scurry away already, but had to go back for his car keys. Elsa began walking towards his desk; her eyes met his desperate ones as he dug through his drawers to find his car keys.

"Come on, come on. Where are you?" he begged his keys in frustration. Elsa adjusted her winter gloves as she finally floated regally towards his desk.

"Hans! I'm glad I found you before you left!" He found his keys and dashed for the door unexpectedly, the sound of rattling floated in the air. Elsa scurried after him, throwing herself on the door roughly. He paused before her in frustration.

"Oh no you don't! We're meeting!" Elsa covered the door knob behind her back. Hans tried to push her out of the way, but Elsa put up a fight by pushing him back.

"Move or I'll make you," he warned. She kept shoving his arms back to keep him away from the door knob at all costs.

"You're not getting past me until we sort this out," She threatened. He lifted Elsa from under her arms like a doll causing her to make an involuntary, frightened squeal. Desperately trying to reach the ground, she swung her legs beneath her. He plopped her behind him, and he opened the door swiftly and darted down the hallway. She was stunned because no one in her life had dared to life her like that past her toddler years.

"Get back here!" Elsa jogged behind him. He took stairs instead of the elevator, desperate to run away. Elsa tried to follow, but her heeled shoes made it difficult for her to keep up a fast pace. She finally reached the bottom of the stairwell and pushed the exit open to reveal Hans hurrying to his car without him noticing his car keys slipped out of his hand and onto the ground before Elsa's feet. Elsa picked the keys up, jingling them mockingly. He stopped in place, just as she wanted.

"Give that back," he whipped around.

"Stop being so difficult!" She cried as he marched towards her and tried to pry the keys out of her fists. "You can't just run away from this, Hans!" He almost was able to get a hold of the keys she was hiding behind her back, swapping its location every time he reached for it.

"What's wrong with you!? Just let me go home," Hans blasted.

"You know how badly things could get over this engagement for us. Why aren't you taking it serious enough to face it," she yelled back. Desperate and panicked, she turned to her last resort and placed the keys in the one place he wouldn't dare to reach: her bra.

"Hans, this is getting out of hand. You have to talk to me! I don't care if... Hey, whoa, wait! Put me down!" She shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder. He carried her roughly, only after the keys she was hiding, to his parked car.

"Put. Me. Down." Elsa's voice vibrated with each bounce in his step.

"Elsa, I obviously don't want to talk to you. If you won't give me my keys, then I'll just have to bring all of you with me until you do." His arm wrapped around the back of her thighs, to keep her legs from flailing.

"Hans," Elsa matched his tone. "You know I'm not one to play around. If I didn't think it was important, I wouldn't have bothered chasing you."

"You practically hunted me down," Hans spat bitterly. He slid her off of his shoulder. She scurried towards her car to distance the keys she carried away from his car to lessen his chances of escaping. He followed her. She glanced between him and the dark tinted windows of her car, realizing she cornered herself.

"Look, I have my reasons for to not wanting to talk to you today, Elsa."

"Are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," he barked unconvincingly. "I just think we shouldn't see each other for a while."

"What? Why?" A few days ago, Elsa would have wanted to hear that, but things between them were feeling normal again. Besides, it hurt her to feel like he was the one rejecting her. It puzzled her since she thought their odd partnership in crime was going smoother than she thought it ever could.

"It's just for the best," he assured her.

"I see," Elsa worried. "You don't want to see me again? Was it something I did? Can I take it back?" Her fingers tangled together in doubt.

"No, it's fine."

"I can tell I did something wrong."

"Just drop it."

"No, I want to fix it."

"You didn't do anything," he insisted. She still had guilt in her eyes. "I swear, Elsa."

"Then what's the matter?"

He hesitated, "nothing."

"I mean, if you don't want to see me again, I'll go. I would never force myself on you, but please at least tell me why," she begged. He pushed his hair back with one hand in exhaustion, and Elsa caught the gesture.

"I'm sorry that I'm frustrating you. I just need to know what I did," Elsa repeated.

"No, it's not you. It's me." Elsa misunderstood the meaning behind his words.

"I know that certain... intense... words were said to each other," she confessed. They both knew she was too afraid of to say the word "love." Elsa tugged her braid before pestering again, "But we have to sort some things out no matter how odd or personal it gets."

"What things?"

"Well I need to you to tell me everything about Vanessa. Hans, I don't remember much, but I remember that she tried to kill me in that carbon monoxide accident. We can't push this back any further." Hans' eyes darted at her chest, partly because he knew his keys were inside of there, and partly because he couldn't help but admire that her bra's cup size was too small, causing the outline of her breasts to strain under her blouse. Her white button down shirt was barely see through enough for him to be able to tell. It seemed obvious that she must have accidently been wearing someone else's bra. Perhaps, her younger sister's.

"I'd rather not do this now," he hummed. He zoned back in, wishing he had the means to leave on his own accord.

"Why not?"

"It'd be in your best interest, if we don't."

"In my best interest?"

"I know that's confusing, but just take my word for it," he said impatiently.

"No," Elsa scoffed. "That girl could be plotting something as we speak! I don't even know why she's doing this. I don't get it!"

"Tomorrow."

"Now!" Elsa stomped her heeled foot with a clang. She was ravishing when she was angry. Her entire being was a raging storm, and he adored her internal blizzard.

"Elsa..." he groaned.

"I don't understand you. First you hate me, then you tell me you love me, which I wonder, if you really meant based off of your constant need to avoid me now. Then you saved me, but you couldn't care less that someone tried to kill me? You could be next. Anna could be next. This is a murderer, and you're too apathetic to even warn me about her!? You're so-"

"Please, give me the keys now." He watched her hips sway as she shifted her weight to her other leg.

Elsa fumed, "No, explain everything! Why can't you stand me suddenly?"

"You really want to know?" Hans sounded annoyed, wishing his mind wasn't fixated on _one thing._

"I'm not kidding around. Tell me!"

"I know you're not doing it on purpose, but the truth is that you're kind of tempting me right now."

"I'm what?" She blushed.

"There's a lot that you I need to share about Vanessa and what happened after you left our date, but I know you wouldn't want anything to happen." His eyes scanned her body. Her display on his desk earlier had set something in motion in his mind that he wasn't able to stop since. "So it can wait," he finished.

"I can't tell, if you're joking or not. How on earth am I tempting you? I'm not doing anything," Elsa inquired. She wasn't behaving flirtatious in any way that she could think of. She was drained, and her makeup had faded off throughout the day. She looked down at her dull, boring suit and wondered how anything about her could be attracting him.

"Don't act like you don't know how beautiful you look right now." Elsa looked behind her as if the compliment was meant for anyone else but her.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked lowly in utter confusion. Her curious demeanor only stirred his lust.

"Elsa, stop talking." She was unaware his plea was because her smoky voice was enticing him. He'd kissed her many times before, and it was frustrating that he couldn't do it now. As he was turning to walk away, she quickly put her hand on his chest to pause him. She still hadn't given up on the topic of Vanessa.

"We can meet again tomorrow. I'll tell you everything then," Hans reasoned. He knew she was naive, but he didn't understand why she'd touch his chest, an intimate action to do, when he'd just bluntly stated that he was ready to pounce at any minute. He tried to inform her to let him leave, but it appeared every movement she made unknowingly pushed him closer and closer to acting upon his feelings. She already proved to be incredibly inexperienced when it came to anything romantic, and now was no exception. He knew that she didn't know the full extent of what she was doing to him, but heaven knew he wanted her right then and there.

"But I don't have time to meet you tomorrow. I'm going to be having a meeting with Dr. Weselton. What's the worst that could happen by spending a few more minutes telling me right now?" She hadn't sensed the severity his cautions came with. Watching her fingers rest on his shirt, he smiled at her persistence and ignorance of how serious he was with his warning. He couldn't take it anymore.

"You shouldn't test me." He stepped forward, causing her to back up until she couldn't back up any further. Her panicked hand left his chest and clung to her car behind her, searching for the door handle in vain. He pushed her body against the cold car door, pinning her shoulders down. Despite the roughness, she could now tell through his hold that even his hands craved her touch.

"I didn't know you felt this strongly," she remarked between heaving breaths. The chilled air made her breath visible. There was something alluring about his domineering attitude that she didn't expect. He made her feel desired. It was something she'd never felt before. He lowered lips towards hers, making her push her head back harder against the glass to avoid him.

"Don't kiss me," she whispered unconvincingly. It was obvious that parts of her were wanting him back.

"Is that what you want?" His deep voice filled her ears.

"You heard me," she quietly squeaked, weak from her infatuation. She regretted speaking at all when he obeyed her and left her lips alone. Instead, he pushed her blazer off her shoulders until it fell to the ground and started to unbuttoned her blouse low enough to expose her ice white bra. He pulled the sleeve down until one shoulder was vulnerable and swept her long braid towards her back. Despite the winter weather, Hans managed to keep her newly unclothed flesh warm with his face. His facial hair lightly scratched her sensitive skin. His light biting traveled up her neck, making her pray he'd never stop. He promptly pinned her wrists above her head on the cool car's window. He continued his work, wishing he could even press his lips on her breasts. It occurred to him that there wasn't any reason he couldn't. Elsa was clearly enjoying it. His nose dove lower, until he got his wish. Her eyes widened at the lustful move, determined to stop him before he took it too far. She tugged on her wrists, but his grip was too strong.

"You better not..." Elsa's thoughts were interrupted by her own whimper. With slightly parted lips, her body gave away that she longed for him to quench the passion he spurred in her. His tongue trailed the lace edge of her bra's cup, tasting the remains of candy-sweet perfume that dripped below where she sprayed it.

"Yes," she moaned. He smirked against her skin, knowing he was the reason for her involuntary speech. She closed her eyes, forgetting where she was completely. She swallowed, fighting the sensation to moan again. She arched her back as he found his way back to the sensitive spot on her neck.

"Please," she panted. She wasn't sure why she was involuntarily begging. Suddenly, they heard a muffled scream coming from inside of her car. Hans let Elsa go, and they both jumped back.

"Oh my God!" the shrill voice screeched from inside of Elsa's car.

"What's going on?" Hans asked. Elsa squinted at the dark tinted, slightly frosted windows before coming to a realization.

"Oh, no. Oh God, no. I forgot my sister was driving here to pick me up. I forgot I didn't drive my car here. I just wasn't thinking straight because you were... well..." Elsa covered her gasp. "She just sat through everything!" The car was finally turned on, and motor ran quietly.

"I'm really sorry. If I had known..." Hans himself was blushing. Anna rolled down the window to reveal Kristoff in the passenger seat with his jaw dropped. Elsa's hands flew up to hold the two sides of her open blouse together at the sight of another man.

"What were you doing to my sister!? I don't care if you're engaged! You're not her husband to be touching her like that!" Anna fired off. Anna had no idea that their "true love" ever ventured past anything innocent.

"Anna, calm down!" Kristoff pressed, trying to restore order.

"No, that's my big sister! Let me at him!" Kristoff held Anna's forearm. "I would have killed you sooner, if I wasn't so stunned the entire time!"

"I'm really sorry," Hans insisted. "I wouldn't have done that, if I had known you were inside... with Kristoff?"

"I didn't imagine I'd meet you again this way, so I see you're into blondes now," Kristoff stabbed at Hans' playboy reputation. Hans bit his tongue to keep himself from spewing any profanity in front of the ladies.

Anna barked, "You wouldn't have done it, if you knew I was here? You shouldn't do it ever! How can I trust you being alone with my sister from now on!?" Before any of them could say another word, the keys slipped out of Elsa's cleavage and clattered on the ground.

"Well that just happened," Kristoff jested. Elsa was at a loss for words. Kristoff's face turned red at the whole situation.

"Do I even want to know why Hans' things were jammed in your cleavage?" Anna hissed. Her grimace grew to disgust when she realized it was her bra that Hans had just bit and prodded.

"It's a long story," Elsa rebuttoned her shirt in shame, cautious to not flash anyone during the process of clothing herself. Hans quickly swiped his keys off of the ground, still afraid Elsa would try to hide it from him again.

"I'm really sorry. I'll, uh, see you tomorrow, Elsa." Hans turned away from the embarrassing situation. This time Elsa didn't disagree to meeting him tomorrow.

"Anna, maybe I should ride back with someone else. I don't want to make this more awkward than it has to be," Elsa begged.

"Nice try! I'm not going to let you go ride with lover-boy after that display! How are you so irresponsible, Elsa? You've never been like this before!"

"Take a deep breath, Anna," Kristoff reasoned.

"No, she's my delicate, sensitive, innocent sister, and I'll kill any boy who tries to corrupt her. Now get in the car before I make you, Elsa!" As irked as Elsa was by being overly controlled as an adult, she knew she would have responded the same way, if the tables were turned. Elsa wouldn't like to catch Kristoff with her baby sister in a compromising position. She even felt that she'd hypothetically act harsher than Anna currently was. Elsa picked up her blazer off of the ground and dusted it. Elsa slipped in the backseat of the car, too humiliated to make eye contact.


	18. Chapter 18

After getting caught with Hans yesterday, Elsa stopped hearing Anna swoon over him. In fact, Anna and Elsa hadn't spoken since their awkward car ride. She could tell her little sister was somehow upset with her. Yesterday was the last position Elsa ever wanted to get caught in. It was terrible that Kristoff even had to see them. Elsa waved away the embarrassing thoughts as she stood outside of Dr. Weselton's long door. She'd spent a dreary, tiresome day at work and was glad it was over. She was forced to pick out fake wedding invitations. She couldn't care less, so she selected the font, size, color, material, and scent at random. It was so disorderly, she had to redo it again, but with actual thought. At least she was paid for her time spent on the wedding project, despite still holding the title of an intern. She and Hans still awaited the promised promotion for their commitment to lying. Today, Elsa had wrapped her chunkiest white scarf around her neck to hide the bruises. She didn't want to broadcast to anyone what had happened. With a creaking noise, her tired boss quickly opened the door. She glared at Elsa through her glasses and pointed to the leather chair. Elsa followed her finger and sat down nervously. The leather squeaked as the blonde lowered herself onto it. She could tell that her boss was already mad about something by the way she kept running her fingers through her silver hair. Dr. Weselton locked the door with a _click_ and stomped in front of Elsa. The older woman slammed her fists on her desk with a loud boom, causing Elsa to jerk back.

"Do you have any idea what you've done!?" Dr. Weselton whisper-screamed, afraid of the possibility of anyone over hearing what she was saying.

"N-no," Elsa nervously shook her head, causing her scarf to slightly unravel. Elsa quickly adjusted her scarf again.

"During your date, you and Hans had a visible fight. Something along the lines of him saying he loved you, or you didn't love him." Dr. Weselton loudly drummed her nails in frustration on the desk. Elsa held her body as still as possible, in fear that any movement could offset her boss more. Had Dr. Weselton discovered that she and Hans were indeed even lying to her as well? Did she know that they not only weren't engaged, but never really were a couple in the first place? Dr. Weselton's rage took over, and her quietness shifted into voice cracking shouting.

"Elsa, that stupid stunt you did is the talk of the entire city! The other customers at that bakery you went to could hear everything! I was told you and Hans dramatically fought outside, and people were watching through the windows! I can't believe you're both so irresponsible! Hell, I could kill you!"

"What!? We didn't know! We'll fix it!" Elsa pleaded.

"You better fix it! Now, I don't care why you and Hans had a fall out. I just want you two to at least fake this! Do you understand what you've done? You ruined everything! We could all be caught over this! You two better make sure this never happens again, no matter what. Is that clear?"

"Yes, doctor," she mumbled, intimidated.

"God, I'm so infuriated with you. What a stupid girl! Did you really think that nobody would be watching you two after the rumors that have been going around? Did you think the investors wouldn't hear about it!? That I wouldn't hear about it!?"

"I'm sorry! I'll fix this!" Elsa pleaded. She didn't know what more to say to get Dr. Weselton to calm down. She grew anxious from being screamed at.

"You don't know _anything. _Do you?" Dr. Weselton stabbed bitterly. "You don't know anything about love, life, work, or even relationships." Elsa looked at her nails, trying to pretend she wasn't hurt from her boss' words. "Elsa, answer me."

"No, I guess I don't."

"I always worried you and Hans wouldn't be able to pull it off. Dear, haven't you figured out life yet? It's not fair. Love? It's even more unfair." Dr. Weselton stared into Elsa's fearful eyes. The boss continued, "The world is a cruel place. If you're going to pull our plan off, you need to learn how to lie through this. My, you can't even survive life like this."

Elsa nodded, unsure of what she could say to remedy everything. It was insulting that her own boss thought she was a failure. Her entire history with the company was nothing but pain and shame. The blonde clasped her frail hands in front of her.

Her boss continued her lecture, "The world is simple, yet _you_ can't even figure it out! The world is after destroying you or wanting you be you. There is not good in the world. I wish you weren't so naive. I ought to fire you on the spot." With a red face, Elsa couldn't tell if Dr. Weselton was cruelly joking or not.

"I'm sorry," Elsa murmured.

"Hush! Go fix things with Hans! I don't want to ever have to call you into my office again," Dr. Weselton shouted.

"Wait, y-you want me to do that now?"

Her boss hissed, "Now? No! God, you're stupid. Do it on your lunch break tomorrow." Dr. Weselton was aware of Elsa's intelligence, but Elsa was insecure. It was easy to convince her she had flaws that weren't there. And Elsa deserved to be punished for ruining their plan in her eyes. It wasn't legal to verbally abuse your employees, but they had all already buried themselves deep into illegality. Now Dr. Weselton was free to do anything she wanted because she knew no matter what she did Elsa nor Hans could report her for it without ruining themselves in the process.

"Sorry. I-I don't know, if it'll be as quick as you want it to be. With Hans... It's complicated between us." Elsa was surprised she had the confidence to speak at all, since she was shaking with fear.

"I don't care!" Dr. Weselton slammed her fist on the desk again with a big bang. "God, Elsa!" She growled. "Take a day off tomorrow! Take a whole damn week off! Just get it done! What part of that do you not understand? It's like I'm speaking to a wall! Don't you know how to do _anything!?"_

There was a long pause where only the ticking of the clock was heard. Dr. Weselton was breathing loudly, recovering from her screaming. She soothed her grey hairs down. Elsa prayed that she'd call an end to the meeting, as she sat like a princess in an electric chair, waiting for her freedom.

"Now take off your clothes," Dr. Weselton hissed as she slammed her drawer open and rummaged around until she pulled out a small, hand-held silver camera.

"Why?" Elsa rasped. Her eyes widened. She didn't except her visit with her boss would require any nudity.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" The older woman pressed a button, turning on the camera, readying it for use. Elsa's shaking, pale hands fearfully went to the bottom of her teal sweater. She hesitated removing it since she needed it to hide the love bites on her collar bone and shoulders. Her boss opened a closet-like door in the corner, pulling out a fitted, lace dress. Without care, she tossed the heavy gown on Elsa's lap.

Dr. Weselton groaned, "You always look afraid every time I see you. You're so uptight. Can you try to relax? Put this dress on. If you don't like doing this, blame yourself. I have to send pictures to Jafar because of that scene you caused on your date. We're telling him you went wedding dress shopping, so pretend to be happy. I can't have him pulling his money out on us." The dress certainly wasn't what Elsa had in mind. It was simplistic, and it looked sexier than the modest twenty-one year old preferred. Elsa fingered the lace detail on the dress, realizing that there wasn't any way to hide her bruises in its low neckline.

"I don't know, if today's a good day to be doing this. Could we try it tomorrow?" Elsa pleaded kindly. Dr. Weselton darted between the young woman's grey dress pants, teal sweater, and scarf. She squinted, making Elsa more nervous since she wasn't sure what she was thinking.

"What are you hiding, Elsa?"

"Nothing! I just thought tomorrow would be better." Without warning, Dr. Weselton ripped the scarf off of Elsa's neck. The tugging hurt her bruises as it roughly choked her, as it left her skin. Her neck had hickies showing the trail Hans followed yesterday. Elsa's cheeks heated up when Dr. Weselton's eyebrows raised.

"Are you kidding me? No, no, no! We needed to take these today. Really?" Her boss whined. Dr. Weselton tilted her head to the side and pushed her glasses up, continuing, "Well, maybe it could be photo shopped. Put the dress on." She turned around, giving shy Elsa the privacy to remove her bulky, winter apparel and stuff herself into the tight dress. The young woman stood in the corner, hoping it'd look like the ambiguous corner of a bridal shop instead of an office. Once Elsa had it on, she smiled awkwardly as Dr. Weselton steadily photographed her. She never was one to like photos. The idea of phonily smiling and posing as someone stared at her never appealed to her, even as a child. Elsa could tell she was staring at her hickies, which only made the shy, young girl more uncomfortable with the odd situation.

"Well, I must admit..." Dr. Weselton peeped up, inappropriately, "I didn't know you had a promiscuous side. Oh, and smile bigger. You still look scared."

* * *

AN: Sorry for the wait. Not cool of me, I know. Hans is coming back in the scene next chapter :)


	19. Chapter 19

Elsa stood up and scurried out of her boss' office, gently closing the door behind her with shaking hands. She wasn't in the state of mind to be having a serious conversation with Hans, after that terrifying meeting. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready. Despite it all, she decided she'd try to meet with him tomorrow. Elsa ended up packing her things, and heading all the way to her car. She peaked in the dark tinted window, remembering how much it hid from her yesterday. It was almost enough to make her giggle, but more so out of nervousness than joy. She somberly pulled out her cellphone, staring at the name she originally wrote for Hans: "guy from work." Remembering how little she knew him then, it was odd to realize how close and involved they were with each other now. She sent a text asking him to meet her tomorrow. Dr. Weselton wasn't cordial, but she was right that Elsa had to fix her break with her "fiancé." After their rendez vous involving necking, she wasn't even sure, if they were still fighting. He texted her back more quickly than she expected, informing her that he was planning to go to a park she'd never heard of tomorrow around 6 PM. After googling its address in her GPS, she saved the address in her cellphone for later. Rehearsing what she wanted to tell him, she practiced for the worst. Fears of him wanting to quit their engagement or more confessions of love haunted her. She simply wouldn't offer him the commitment that he sought. She went home and spent the night sleeping restfully. It wasn't the calm type of slumber that she longed. It was brought by exhaustion instead of peace. The next day, she woke up late in the afternoon, which shocked to be tired enough to sleep that much. It was the day she'd be meeting Hans to have the most important conversation they'd ever had. If things went well, it'd be the last. Not wanting to send the wrong message, she put on an outfit suitable as work attire. This was strictly business, not another make out session. When she finally arrived at 6 PM, she parked next to his car. Immediately, she strolled along the grass searching for him. There wasn't a single person to be found in all of the park at this hour. Stressed from Dr. Weselton's threats, not being able to find him, and her tense situation at home, she felt as if she was about to break apart. She let out a frustrated sigh, tortured by the idea that he'd stood her up. Although she didn't tell him why she wanted to meet, it annoyed her that he'd ignore something so important.

"Hello? Are you there?" She called out to nobody in particular. She starred at the empty benches, yellow-green grass, trees, and dirtied sidewalk.

"Up here!" Hans waved. Elsa blinked away her uneasiness and turned around to see Hans sitting on the roof of his SUV car, looking through a large, black camera. It looked like something a professional photographer would use due to its sleek edges and many buttons. Although, with the wealth the Westerguaards, it probably served merely a toy to him.

"Why are you up there?" Elsa languidly tip toed forward, until she stood before his glimmering headlights.

"Come up here and find out."

"I'm not climbing up a car in high heels!"

"Take them off," he shrugged. "I'll help you up."

"No, what if someone sees us? It's kind of weird to go on the roof of a car with someone." Suddenly, a bright flash stung her eyes. Hans playfully photographed her off guard. She squinted up at him, afraid of what her face must have looked like in the snapshot.

"Why are you taking pictures of me? Don't! I wasn't even ready!"

"Stop me," He teased. He took more photos of her in the mist of her fretting. "I have to warn you, you're not very photogenic from down there." The flash blinded her vision, making her see only purple and black spots everywhere she leered.

"I need to talk to you about something serious." Elsa pinched the spot between her eyebrows, hoping to regain her vision. "Come down."

"How can I come down when I'm feeling so up?" He jested, until he saw Elsa's stern expression.

"You're such a jerk. Unbelievable. Fine. I'll come up there." Elsa took off her ivory, booties and let the shoes drop to the floor with a clatter. She stuck her white socked foot on the tire with a wobbly balance. Her freshly poor vision caused her to misplace her other foot, and she slipped onto the hood with a_ thud_.

"Ow," she effeminately whined. On all fours, she paused until the pain went away. She crawled on her knees and hands up the steep windshield. Struggling, it proved more difficult to do than she thought.

"Careful!"

"I know I fell. I was there," she mumbled. She was still in a rotten mood from her meeting, yet Hans enjoyed her snarky comment. He loved it when she gave him a hard time, and he was used to having to come up with ways to prompt it out of her. It amused him that he didn't have to try hard this time. She reached the roof of the car and sat next to him, folding her legs elegantly to the side. He grabbed his camera and lied down on his back, looking at the sky. Flustered that he already was ignoring her presence, she gained the idea to take off her engagement ring to show him she wasn't joking. From her view, the sky wasn't much to look at even. She couldn't fathom how it'd be enough to distract him from her. Jamming her ring into her pocket, Elsa gained some of his focus.

"This is a serious discussion, okay?" Elsa rolled her sleeves up. It was a bit too warm for a blue sweater and a white scarf, but she wasn't going to reveal all of her love bites to him.

"So Weselton finally told you about what happened after you left our date, huh? Did she tell you to talk to me today, too?" He angled his face to the side, scooping up at her with his gaze. A gentle breeze carried a few strands of his silky, smooth hair. She had never seen him in anything besides a suit before. He looked relaxed in his brown, leather jacket and dark, blue jeans. Of course the prince wouldn't dare to be seen in anything that wasn't designer. His jacket bore a small logo of an Italian designer. Elsa felt tempted to lay next to him, but she didn't want it to take away the seriousness of their conversation.

"How'd you know? Did you meet her about this, too?" Elsa puzzled.

"You know, I tried to warn you about it for a while. After you left in that taxi, I saw every customer watching through the windows. I had to go back inside to pay the bill, and they were still whispering about it. I knew we blew it. The town gossiped about it until it reached everyone at work. Dr. Weselton thinks we can remedy it, but I don't know. Everyone made up their mind about us. I don't think anything we say can change that." Hans pressed several buttons on his camera, and Elsa adjusted her slipping scarf. Hans watched her nervous hands ensure not a single inch of her skin became exposed.

"Els, did I really give you that many hickies?" Hans pointed at her scarf with his chin. She felt her cheeks get red, not knowing it was obvious what she was hiding underneath. It became a common trick many girls thought of before her.

"That was overly blunt." She toyed with her scarf anxiously. She instinctually being guarded over the information, but it was no use in hiding it from him any longer. "I-I didn't know that any of it would bruise. It didn't hurt, while you were doing anything," she sheepishly mumbled. He smiled from the corner of his mouth, not guilty for the marks he left. It occurred to her then that it was his way of branding her. She swelled in frustration that he'd try to claim her like that, but bringing it up would only digress them away from the real reason she was there.

"Calm down. It'll go away eventually," Hans laughed.

"Don't make fun of me! You're the one who did this to me! You're not even sorry." Elsa hit his shoulder, unable to end his jeering.

"Well I _am_ sorry," he said too happily for someone who was supposed to be regretful. "Does your sister still hate me?"

"She's still really upset with me about the whole ordeal," Elsa found herself holding back a girlish giggle. The incident was silly, really. It was funny to her how much Hans blushed when her sister verbally threatened him for it. Elsa hadn't seen Anna's feisty side before. Her baby sister: the only female to successfully intimidate him. Perhaps, Anna would now be better with her judgment. Anna always did overly trust everyone she met. They both fell silent, as Elsa fiddled with her sliding scarf. While still laying down, Hans reached his hands up towards her, resting his fingers on her scarf.

"What are you doing?" Elsa groaned. She grabbed his hands in place, not wanting him to expose her. It was humiliating enough that he discovered what she concealed with her accessory.

"I already know what you've been hiding under here," he reasoned. "I just wanted to see how bad it is." With her small hands not strong enough to restrain his, he loosened her unneeded fabric. He did it with a gentleness that her boss hadn't, fingertips unknowingly brushing against her delicate flesh. The scoop neck of her sweater revealing each love bite. He glanced between her neck, her shy lips, and fluttering eyelashes. Her small nose barley decorated in freckles. He loved how she tightly wrapped her bunned hair. Paying attention to the details of her face, he had almost forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. His hands hesitated, as if they wanted to caress the marks he left on her. A piece of her wanted him to. She longed for his touch again, but she wasn't willing to let him know it. They both secretly imagined his hands cupping around her neck, picturing him pulling her downwards to reenact their last meeting. If he showed the bravery to do it, she'd blossom for him like a flower and let him feel her petal, soft skin. She begged her own mind to stop romping around romantic ideas of Hans, but it proved to be challenging. Nobody had ever touched her with the burning desire that he had for her. Elsa stared at the man lying next to her, waiting for his blank facial expression to change. His eyes traveled up and down where his tongue did days ago without making any more comments. Elsa expected him to make a big deal out of her reveal, but he instead put her fluffy scarf under his head like a pillow. The smell of her rose perfume stuck on the scarf drifted into his nose.

"You don't seem like you handled Dr. Weselton's news very well, Els." He pressed more buttons on his camera, changing the settings and filters. There was a pause where Elsa didn't make a peep, as she avoided his emerald eyes. She feared that one more look at him, and she'd be in love all over again. His dreamy smile died when he realized she became bothered. They broke the law, and there was a murder after them. What if Anna was hurt next, what if Elsa got arrested, what if her parents were looking down at her with disappointment, what if she was fired, what if she never saw Hans again... Elsa's mind raced to darker and darker places. He noticed her expression filled with anxiety, and he worried she'd started hating him again. She close her black eyelashes shut, trying to gain composure.

"You're right, and I wish we never agreed to that ridiculous engagement. She didn't even hold up her end of the deal yet. Everything is a mess. I'm a mess."

"A mess? You're the most orderly person I know."

"I mean, what if I never get my life together? I'm..." Elsa turned too distressed to finish her sentence.

"Scared?" Hans finished, as he started to photograph the sky with bright flashes from his camera. How was he the master of his emotions, unlike her? His calmness spread enough to pass over to her.

"Yeah," she swallowed. "I don't even-"

"Elsa, it'll be okay. I promise. I don't want you to panic over this. You're up here with me now, so we'll figure it all out." He spoke in a voice so soft and soothing, she started for forget why she was riled up in the first place. She surveyed the sky, trying to figure out what he photographed. She concluded that temporary distraction would be good for her nerves. Their serious conversation wouldn't be functional, if she remained upset.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa quizzed, "Why are you even up here?"

"A better view of the sunset... Well, the sunset's clouds." Hans kept his large camera glued to his face, while talking.

"I didn't know you were into photography, honestly," Elsa gawked at the hidden sun behind the trees, unsure of his motivation.

"You don't know a lot about me, Els."

"That's not true," Elsa announced with doubt. She did suspect Hans hiding secrets behind her back. She still didn't even know who was Vanessa, or why what was his connection to her. "Besides, you can't even see the sunset from here, Hans." He tilted his face towards her, biting his lip playfully. He snapped another photo of her, catching her blank expression.

"Don't! I look awful!" She quietly shrieked. Even when agitated, she held a lady-like demeanor. He felt certain that her family must have a royal bloodline the moment he met her. Ironically, he couldn't believe Elsa and her sister were related despite their similar looks. Anna behaved casual, and Elsa set herself on constant queen mode. Her graceful arms shielded her insecure face.

Hans disagreed, "You look beautiful." He took another unwanted photo of his muse. He closed the other eye to focus.

"You just said I wasn't photogenic moments ago."

"Lay down."

"Why?"

"You wanted to see what I was looking at." Slowly she leaned back next to him, finally catching the sight of the gorgeous sunset above the trees. Their bodies laid side-by-side. Only from their elevated, horizontal view could they see it beyond the branches. The clouds swirled with pink and lavender. Cotton candy filled the sky between the beams of orange and yellow light. She had never taken the time to admire the sky, and she realized how wrong she had been all of those years she never had. His dark, red hair glowed in the light, and she was certain that it earned its spot as her new favorite color. Trying not to make a big deal out of wonderstruck she felt, Elsa interrupted the quiet scene.

"What do you normally photograph anyway? Do you normally stick to nature? The sky?" Elsa tossed ideas around.

"Anything."

"No consistency?"

"No limits." The sound of the camera's clicking sounded loudly. He kept the lenses pointed at the heaven above.

"So you take pictures of everything?"

"No."

"There must be something in common between all of your pictures." Elsa rested her hands on her stomach, feeling so calm she could fall asleep.

"I only take photos of things that make me feel something," Hans corrected. Elsa's eyes widened at the comment. He peeled his attention away from the sky and took another unexpected photo of her. The flash caused her to squint, which she assumed made for an appalling photo. He chuckled, expecting her to hit his shoulder for capturing another moment from her. He grinned like he knew something she didn't, and she wished he'd just tell her already. Elsa just rolled her eyes at his cleverness for good timing. She turned her face towards the sky again. Silence fell between them as they watched the bubblegum clouds drift. Minutes passed by before Elsa bothered to speak again.

"You took pictures of _me,_ so what does that mean you're feeling exactly?" She unexpectedly whispered. She felt too nervous to check if he was looking at her or not.

"You know _exactly_ how I feel about you," he sighed tranquilly. Elsa could have sworn she heard a gleam of love in his voice, even though it vanished after he swallowed. It shot into her deadlier than any bullet. Over the past few days, Hans grew tired from lying to protect the company, his boss, Elsa, himself, and even Vanessa's secrets from everyone. The severity of the conversation Elsa wanted only drained him more. With her heart skipping a beat, she held her breath.

"Hans," Elsa murmured with a dry voice. "Please, don't say it like that." He rested his camera on his stomach, eyes glazing over her lovingly. It wasn't just the reflection of herself in his eyes that she saw. There was something more.

"Too bad. I love you," he said coolly. His smoothness impressed her. She stemmed with bewilderment about how he could be so confident after she openly rejected him in the past.

"Since when do bad boys fall in love? And you're being a hypocrite. You don't believe in love." She tried to talk him out of it. He crossed his arms behind his head, turning his attention to the sunset again.

"I made an exception."

"You're going to get your heart broken someday, if you keep making exceptions, you know."

"You're the only exception." He was famous for his play boy attitude towards all women, but did he confess monogamy for the first time? He caught on that she tried to persuade him to change his mind, but he decided not to let her win that easily. Elsa wished she still had her scarf, so she could pull it high enough to hide her pink cheeks. Her plan to knock sense into him about his affections towards her backfired. Elsa regretted ever bringing up the topic. She should have known it brewed the moment she agreed to be in a fake relationship with Hans. Although, she expect she'd be the one falling over him. They watched a blue jay flit across the darkening sky.

"What's it like," Elsa paused, "to be in love?" She pondered how he could possibly pick her out of his much better options. There were plenty of beautiful girls that showed their interest in him regularly. The girls at work had flirted with him before, too. Even her own sister would have agreed to date him easily, if he'd bothered to ask before he fell into a fake relationship with Elsa. Hans sighed, relaxing his expression at the question.

"Terrible," he concluded.

"Then stop." It seemed to Elsa that her already mind came a decision. She didn't want him to further complicate their already complex relationship with romance, and Hans stated he didn't enjoy being in love. All that was left to do, in Elsa's mind, was for her to spend personal time trying to get rid of any feelings she had for him once and for all. Her sister Anna would be enough girl time to distract her, she figured.

"I can't," Hans interrupted.

"Hans, you don't really mean it when you say you love me, right?" Elsa fiddled with her fingers.

"You know I do." Dr. Weselton demanded for Elsa to repair their relationship, but how could she repair a relationship that never blossomed? She would not allow herself to love him back, although she wasn't sure she became skilled at following her own rules anymore. She lost confidence in the idea of trusting someone she knew was capable of being manipulative. Lying next to a notorious heart breaker, she feared dating him would be like signing up to get her heart crushed. Didn't all relationships end in break ups, anyway? They were clearly star-crossed lovers at best. She assumed she could save herself time and tragedy by rejecting love, but she couldn't dismiss addressing their problem head on any longer.

"We can keep up this horribly corrupt plan, I mean, we don't have a choice anymore, but I just can't do this weird... thing... we've been doing. Can we agree to being falsely engaged and nothing else?" Elsa insisted. "I'm really sorry things have to turn out this way."

"But it _doesn't_ have to be this way," he inferred.

"Yes, it does. I don't love you back." Elsa looked over her shoulder at him, timidly waiting for his reaction with a dazed expression. He sat up, propping himself on his arms behind him. She couldn't read his emotions, which irked her.

Hans began, "Let's finish this later. I need to be somewhere in 10 minutes."

"Wait, no. We have to reach an agreement first! We were actually heading somewhere with this. I'm not leaving until this is totally worked out," Elsa begged. Elsa shot up straight, tucking her legs to the side once more. "Give me a few more minutes."

"Come with me. I'll drive us," he offered. She peeked over the intimidatingly high edge, realizing climbing down would be much harder than climbing up.

"I'll have to tell Anna first," Elsa pulled her cellphone out, about to text her sister for her opinion on hanging out with Hans again. Elsa knew Anna currently despised him. She herself felt uneasy about the idea and waited for some sign to tell her not to. Spending time with your almost _something_ sprouted fears in her. She didn't yearn for anything to prompt them into the abyss of love, and being alone with this attractive man could be trouble. He didn't fear flirting with danger.

"Why?" Hans questioned. Elsa stopped typing on her cellphone.

"Because she's my friend. It's just what you do."

"Aren't I your friend?" Hans asked with a mix of offense and amiability. Elsa sent the text message.

Elsa corrected, "We haven't defined that yet."

"Let's change that. I obviously like you."

"No, Hans…" She grew irritated by the breeze gorgeously carrying his hair back lightly again. As if the universe itself tried to get her to swoon over him. Sadly, it worked. The winter had made his skin minutely paler than usual. With no trace of a tan, it complimented his hair color. His handsomeness infested her thoughts. All she could think of when she saw his colossal hands was her wish for both to be all over her. His velvety voice didn't help her attempt to dislike him. She did not need to want him. She deemed the act of losing herself in another person forbidden. On top of it all, it impressed her that he remained unwavered by her denial of him. He seemed to understand her pretty well, but she assumed there couldn't possibly be a hint to give away that she didn't mean her rejection.

"And you obviously like me," he declared.

Elsa gasped, "Whoa, what was that?"

"You think I didn't notice?"

"I do not like you," Elsa stated slowly, making sure he caught every word. Hans couldn't be convinced regardless of how much she exaggerated her words.

"I noticed it the moment I met you. You're an open book."

"I am not!" Elsa frowned. They were sitting closer than she realized. She had the fleeting urge to leave the heated discussion. They fought plenty of times, and that had brought them in the place they were now. Dr. Weselton made it clear to her that she must fix their feuding permanently.

"I want to take you on a date," Hans calmly suggested.

"I've been on enough dates with you. Those haven't ended well," Elsa scoffed.

"No, like a real date. Nothing to do with work." Elsa searched for reasons to shun the notion. He made it difficult to say _no_ to him. She nervously crossed her arms, afraid he'd try to touch her in a romantic gesture. "How about a movie Wednesday night?"

"Wednesday? I'm not sure. I might be working. Hans, I don't think we should."

"Give me a chance, Els." He grew more certainty in his voice, and Elsa hoped he'd realize she already made up her mind long ago. She never had someone fight for her before. His masculine assertion somehow allured her. He knew what he wanted, and he wouldn't let her stop him. His persistence wore down her own, but she still keep searching for reasons she couldn't date him. Elsa twisted her loose sweater sleeve timidly, focusing on the blue threads.

Hans breathed, "Thursday, then."

"Thursday? I'll have to see," Elsa hummed in a light veto.

"Like you have plans?" Hans cocked his eyebrow. "Is it a date with another guy?" Elsa snatched the scarf next to him and balled it up, readying herself to leave.

"Maybe or maybe not, in which case, I wouldn't necessarily share that information with you."

"Why not? I'd like to know. Who are you dating?" His voice rose with jealousy, and instead of backing off, his determination expanded. He stiffened his already straight posture, threatened by the idea of another guy being with her. The truth was there were no other candidates in sight, yet Elsa wasn't sure she was ready to let Hans win by default.

"Nobody in particular," Elsa vaguely rambled.

"Anybody specific?"

"Hans!" She chastised his envy.

"I'm just trying to figure out when I get to see you again."

"We work together. You'll live."

"Hardly," he joked. Elsa didn't laugh, and she appeared resentful of his humor.

"Look, I don't like where this conversation is heading. I wanted to work things out today, but that's clearly not going to happen." Elsa shoved her cellphone in her pocket, yearning to escape.

Hans continued, "I'm not dating anyone else. I'm not planning on dating anyone else. I just want to see you."

"I see," Elsa slowly broke apart her words.

"Exclusively."

"I got it. That's very sweet. I just hadn't thought about us that way."

"So, think about it."

"Okay," Elsa unknowingly purred at the silkiness of his voice. Her escape needed to happen soon, or else the mastermind flirter would be able to rekindle her feelings for him.

"Because I thought about it."

"I-I understand." She closed her eyes and frowned. He made it difficult for her to distance herself emotionally from him. "You need to get to your... thing. I'll just, um, get down now." Elsa tore herself away from him, slid down his windshield, and onto the floor. She popped her high heels back on, hurrying to escape the romantic tension. Hans climbed down the side of his car swiftly, making sure she didn't escape without a goodbye.

"Elsa, if you're going to run away again will you at least tell me why?" He sounded hurt in his voice. Elsa clung to her car door, digging in her pocket for her car keys.

"Well, you wouldn't have time for it. You're asking for a long discussion, Hans." She sighed in relief when she found her keys and unlocked her car.

"I don't care, if I'm late or I miss it. I want to know," He asserted. Elsa pulled the car door open, and he leaned on it with one arm to shut it again. She let go of the handle, her attention captured by the bulging muscles showing through the outline of his jacket sleeves. She frowned, upset that she had gotten over him within the past few days, and he now ruined it and built her up all over again. "What's the problem?" He repeated.

Elsa shouted, nettled that he forced her to confront his irritatingly beautiful face, "Fine. You can't like someone you don't know. That's the thing. You can't like someone that you only call 'pretty' every now and then, but you never ask about my favorite candy, or what I think about 1 AM. You just like that I'm a girl who's available for you, or maybe it's my attention. You know what? It sucks because liking someone is so much better than liking attention." She pushed him back lightly and continued, "And I wouldn't be talking to you, if my job wasn't on the line. I can't believe she's making me sort this out. There's nothing to sort out. There's nothing between us. We're done before it even started."

"But I do know those things about you. I know you worry around 1 in the morning, probably about your sister or maybe over something stupid I did. You're so hard on yourself, I wouldn't believe that you did anything but worry at night. And there's nothing you'll like more than chocolate. I'll admit, you're kind of mysterious and that interested me about you, but that doesn't mean I don't genuinely love you. I'm not after your attention. I'm after you."

"Hans, how would you even know what I'm like? I'm constantly filtering myself around you." Her voice softened to a sorrowful tone. Hans gazed into her eyes so intently, it felt like he could see into her soul. He practically could with his ability to read her so well. Angry and in love with her, he crossed his arms, listening to her thoughts. Elsa admitted, "And somebody's going to end up hurt by all of this eventually. That's why I shut you out, okay? This whole fake relationship is going to end in a disaster."

"Els, I would never hurt you," He said softly, calming her down. He protectively brushed her bangs out of her eyes. A long spell of nothing but breathing came. Elsa's previous shouting felt like it was still echoing in the dark park. He bounced his gaze to the floor, and she took her chance to study his expression. He looked somber or deeply lovesick. Elsa would have given anything to get him to say something. Elsa found the quietness unbearable. She became unsure, if she was too harsh on the poor, infatuated, young man. She felt guilty knowing she'd deprived herself of a man who seemed to genuinely love her. A man she'd been punishing herself for desiring. Her brain flashbacked to their first argument. He'd come to her house, arms full of alcohol and charming jokes to get her to forgive him. She vowed to herself she'd never fall in love with him, but back then it was 4 AM, and they were laughing way too hard. She had felt happy for the first time in years, and she knew she was doomed from then on. She realized why she had mixed feelings for him. He made her feel again. It became something she taught herself to avoid at all costs. The world shaped her a hard shell as protection, and he dissolved years and years of it away. She came back to reality, eyes glossing over the handsome, tall man. What would her parents think of her, if they could see her now? She wondered if they'd be ashamed at how hardened she'd let herself become. Elsa broke the silence, causing Hans to glance back down at her.

"And I don't want to hurt you so," Elsa mumbled. They both bore the same expression, one that could easily be mistaken for sadness or utter infatuation. She felt him lean closer, unsure if he was trying to hear her better or kiss her. "Let's just..." Elsa had a hard time finishing her thought, as he tilted her face up towards his. He wouldn't give up, determined that he'd be part of her world. He took a step closer, and she pushed her back against the car door to create a bigger distance between them.

"Hans, let's just stop this..." They stopped in place, and she glanced between his hooded eyes and nearby lips. Her breath hitched as his other arm leaned against the car window for support. Elsa concluded in a hushed tone, "...Before we do anything we regret." Her arms clung behind her nervously. He came so close, she could feel his eyelashes closing on her cheek. He pushed his face into hers, kissing her tenderly. Her body pressed into the car door. She suppressed the need to arch her back by letting her fingers dramatically widen, gasping with her hands. It was a moment where she could have sworn she heard violins start to play and stars swirl. She felt sure it was the spark her sister had told her about. It was the type of kiss immortalized by painters around the world. Soft and languid, she melted for him. His experienced lips drank in the closest form of love she'd ever given him. She closed her eyes, and let him slip deeper into her heart. He broke their kiss prematurely, leaving her wanting more.

"Sorry, I know you always hate it when I do that. I'll stop. I just had to know, if something was there," he whispered. He sounded disappointed in whatever conclusion he came up with. Ignoring his urge, his hand fell off of her face. He expected her most famous phrases of ordering him to never kiss her again to spill out of her mouth. She batted her eyelashes with a small smile that he didn't expect and looked at him sweetly. Her reaction confused him. She'd spent the entire night trying to convince him that the last thing she'd ever want had just happened, yet she didn't mind.

"Kiss me," she breathed.

"Wait, what?"

"Kiss me."

"Whoa, wait. It's not that I don't want to, I'm just confused," Hans questioned. Impatient because of the desire he'd sparked in her, she pulled him by his jacket and crashed him back into her. He complied with her orders, tugging her waist to deepen their kiss. When they stopped, Elsa had realized it was nightfall. She hadn't noticed how long they'd been in the park, but she did know that her sister would probably worry about where she'd been.

Elsa broke his post-kiss induced trance, "You meant all of that _stuff_ you said earlier, right?" The word _love_ had still been too foreign to pronounce. She clung to his chest, hugging him. Catching on, Hans nodded.

"More than anything. Elsa, you're in love with me?"

"I never said that," she sheepishly denied. She knew it was no use in lying.

_Don't say you're in love._

_Don't say you're in love._

_Don'y say you're in love._

Hans rested his chin on top of her head, "I need to know."

_At least, out loud, don't say it._

With apprehension, Elsa forced the words out of her, "I am."

* * *

AN: Sorry that I fast forwarded in the first section. I wanted to get to the bulk of this chapter without it making no sense as to how Elsa even got there. The climax of the story is coming up! Leave a review about what you think is going to happen next. I already plotted it out, and I'm curious to know if it's a plot twist or expected. *evil laughter*


	20. Chapter 20

AN: (All author notes are optional.) I said I'd let you guys know when the end of the story is nearing, and there's only one more chapter after this.

* * *

Ariel tapped Belle on the shoulder. Belle's senses grew distracted by the busy sounds of typing, papers being stacked, and Gaston frequently cruising past them. His bright, red, shirt couldn't hook her attention for as long as he hoped. Gaston carefully unbuttoned the top half of his shirt, flaunting his black, curly chest hair for his crush.

"Did you notice anything _different_ this week?" Ariel rasped with her still damaged voice. Belle peacefully closed her green romance novel. Ariel gathered Belle's sleeve, causing her to follow until they both stood behind the safety of the skyscraping filing shelves in the corner of the office.

"What do you mean?" Belle whispered.

Ariel groaned, "The office couple, of course! Look at them." Belle tilted her glasses lower, glaring at them from across the room. Elsa stood next to Hans' desk, warmly chatting away with her fiancé. Elsa's body language contrasted from her past self. The blonde comfortably lingered before his desk, no longer choked by shyness. Even her sparkling engagement ring couldn't take away the attention from the brand-new, love-struck smiles the couple bore.

"Oooh!" Belle crooned understandingly.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say they_ just_ started dating a few days ago instead of forever ago. That's not how they usually look at each other."

Belle nodded, "There must be something there that wasn't there before. Maybe they made up from a fight or something. I mean, they've been together practically since they started working here. We're probably looking into this too much."

"Maybe," the curious redhead muttered. "Or maybe not. I think something fishy is going on." The two girls hovered around the filing cabinet, peeking back at the couple every now and then. They felt frustrated they weren't in ear shot to know what sweet nothings they cooed at each other. Elsa laced her fingers together in front of her lap.

Elsa cleared her throat, "So are you going to give me the papers or not?"

"But then that'd mean you'd have to leave," Hans complained. He slowly folded the thin stack in half, procrastinating as much time as possible. Elsa rolled her eyes. His flirtatious behavior skyrocketed ever since Elsa admitted to be in love with him at the park. They both decided to become an official couple yet not engaged as they had told the world.

Elsa sweetly cooed, "Hurry up. It affects you, if it's not handed in on time, you know. It's for Jafar." She opened her clasped fists and attempted to grasp for the papers but missed when Hans playfully snatched it away.

"Hm, I don't take orders from interns."

Elsa gawked, "That's no way to talk to your..." She hesitated, still not used to the world _girlfriend_. His victorious expression made it more difficult for her to finish her sentence.

"Hans, just give it to me," she cowardly redirected. Leaning back kingly in his swivel, black chair, he extended his arm farther away from her to hide the document. She frustratedly stepped behind his desk and bent over him. With Elsa distracted by the document, he took it to his advantage. Hans noted that the office was practically empty, so he didn't see any reason why he couldn't do what he wanted. Her body hovered above his, almost close enough to grab the papers he reached away from her. Hans jerked her waist down, causing her bottom to fall into his lap. His extended arm harboring the document cradled her back. Her legs bent over the armrest of his chair. His free hand pet the outside of her thigh, above her navy pencil skirt, and her wide eyes lost attention on her goal. Still jolted into astonishment by his quick action, Elsa clung to the lapels of his black suit jacket for balance.

"Tell you love me, first," he threatened. He couldn't get enough of hearing her say it. For days, he'd wrap his arms around her, begging her to say it again. _Just one more time_, he'd insist. He couldn't keep his wild eyes on anything work related. His head would always drift in her direction with a flirtatious wink, causing her to blush intensely. All those times back then, she'd mouth the word "stop" from across the room, but her shy smile always prompted him to keep going. Today, he took it a step further by physically pulling her onto him.

Elsa gulped, "This isn't a negotiation." She suppressed the urge to grin, pretending she felt angry at the romantic trap he'd set up. Although they've been paid to impersonate lovers long ago, it still felt odd to her that he'd publicly display their affections. This time, it wasn't done because Dr. Weselton forced it, and Elsa wasn't used to acting on impulse. Either way, Dr. Weselton would want Hans to behave like this, she reasoned. If anything, their boss would get upset, if they didn't.

"Then show me you love me," he deeply whispered. He gradually leaned in closer towards her vulnerable lips. She titled her head back, dodging his kiss.

Elsa grumbled, "Not here! What if someone is watching!?" They both looked around the room, catching Ariel and Belle spying on them. Upon realizing, Hans freed her body. It humiliated her that she'd been seen misbehaving at work with him, risking her good girl reputation. Elsa immediately climbed out of his lap, stumbling as she backed away from him. She frivolously propped her arm on his desk, acting like nothing had just happened. He tugged the bottom of this grey suit jacket, eliminating the folds caused by laying his beloved on top of him. The two curious female coworkers turned their attention away from the couple, discovering they'd been seen.

"Ahem, the papers?" Elsa asserted. With a crumpling noise, Hans waved it before her. Snatching it gently, Elsa scurried into Dr. Weselton's office.

* * *

Six o'clock rolled by. Most of the few employees scheduled to work that day already packed their bags to leave. Dr. Weselton dismissed them all at the same time that day, since it they'd all finished their reports on time. Gaston jumped in front of Belle, roughly plopping his heavy arm around her shoulders. Ariel glared as Gaston left with Belle. She knew her poor friend's walk home would be bothersome. The curious Ariel swooped by Elsa's desk, before Elsa could even rise out of her black desk chair.

Ariel began, "How've you been?"

"I'm great. How about you?" Elsa murmured, still in a love-struck daze from Hans.

"Fantastic! I just wanted to say 'hi' before I met with Eric. We're going out to dinner tonight. He's so sweet!"

"Eric? But I thought he was engaged to..." Elsa stopped herself. "I'm sorry. I was just..."

Ariel twirled a strand of her hair and frowned. "No, it's okay. You're right, but that was in the past. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"I was just thinking out loud," Elsa apologized.

Ariel affirmed, "Well, to clarify, he _was_ engaged to another woman. It was long ago, really. I can't help but still hate that Vanessa, but I'm over it. Anyway, my birthday is next month. I want you to come to my party! Everyone at the office is going to be there!"

"That's great, but what was that name again?" Elsa's blue eyes widened.

Ariel repeated, "Oh, Vanessa? I don't want to go too much into it. It really is all behind us now. Eric and I haven't seen her in years."

"Can you please tell me more about her?" The blonde twiddled her manicured thumbs together. Elsa glanced around to ensure Dr. Weselton or Hans couldn't overhear.

"Huh? Why?" Ariel gasped. She started the conversation to snoop in Elsa's life, but it appeared Elsa found herself more interested in knowing her coworker's past.

"Because," Elsa mumbled. "Hans happens to be really close to a Vanessa. He won't tell me anything about her."

"Oh no," Ariel whispered. "Stay away from her! She's nothing but a cheater. She's a terrible person in more ways than I can count. I really hope it isn't the same Vanessa I know. She's a life ruiner. That girl is dangerous. I think she's even been arrested before."

Elsa choked on her words, "Arrested!? For what?" She felt relieved to finally be getting somewhere. If Dr. Weselton and Hans decided to hide secrets from her, Ariel became her only chance to figure it out on her own. Just then, Ariel peeked at her cell phone to view the time.

"Look, Eric's waiting on me. Maybe we can talk about this later." Ariel patted Elsa's shoulder two taps before strolling out the door.

Elsa cried out, "Wait, but-"

"Bye! I'll see you tomorrow!" Ariel called behind her as she left. With Ariel out of sight, Elsa buried her face in her manicured hands at the set back. She came so close to finding out the truth. A warm, firm hand clamped down on her shoulders. She uncovered her face and twisted around, identifying Hans before her.

Elsa panicked, "How long have you been standing there!?"

"I just came here one second ago. Relax," Hans laughed. "Why are you so tense lately?"

"No reason." Elsa pouted, agitated that he almost caught her decoding with Ariel in the action. The idea of interrogating him combated in her mind.

"Walk with me," he proposed. He pulled her dainty hand, lacing his long fingers through hers. They sauntered into the parking lot. It was the first time in several days they'd been alone, since their working hours conflicted lately. The sound of their shoes stepping on the loose gravel of the parking lot crunched quietly. Hans playfully leaned his shoulder into her, knocking her out of balance with a slight wobble.

"Why aren't you nice to me?" Elsa whined with a smile. She bumped the side of her hip into him for revenge, making him walk out of path. His grasp on her hand tightened, enveloping her with sentiment. They slowly paced their steps, lingering in order to spend more time together. Whenever Elsa went home, she spent her time solely with Anna. Because of the sisters' rocky past, Elsa obliged herself to showing Anna she cared about her. And with Anna now hating Hans, Elsa never brought him home. Visiting his home wasn't an option, since his family was beyond abusive. He couldn't allow her to endure that treatment. They typically found refuge at work. It became the main place the couple could unite.

"You're just mad because I have to leave earlier tonight." His statement proved true by the doleful expression she bore. The pair couldn't dawdle outside like they usually did. Elsa languidly dragged her feet, not wanting to reach their cars.

"Who are you meeting, anyway?" She bleakly commented, looking up at him. She missed him already, and she didn't have to say it out loud for it to be known.

"She's nobody. Don't worry about it," he reassured.

"She?" Elsa piped up with an energized tone.

"I meant 'he.' It was a slip up. I'm just tired," he lied. He unlaced his fingers from hers when he heard his cellphone vibrate with a text message. They stopped in place, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Elsa curiously watched his facial expression drop, seriously skimming his screen.

"What is it, Hans?" Elsa tugged on the sleeve of his shirt, and he put his hand up to signal for her to stop. He slid his cellphone back in his pocket quickly, glancing between her and their work building they'd just left.

"I need to go back inside. I'll be back soon." His severe tone fretted her more. She grabbed onto his forearm, keeping him from leaving. She could sense his tension in his flexing muscles.

"What's going on? Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, wait here."

She debated, "But I could-"

"I said, _wait here_." He detached his body from hers, and he walked towards the building. She stood in place, wondering what the text message read.

Elsa called out, "I'll just stay here then." She crossed her arms, sulking towards a nearby bench. She plopped herself onto it, watching his figure distance itself from her. Hans went back into the building, took the elevator up, walking before the door of his workplace. His secret meeting relocated to the office. Hans' fingers hovered above the door knob. He finally twisted it open with a rush. His hand grasped the door knob tighter, looking for some sense of reality to make sense of what he saw. A familiar, brunette female fixed her glare on him. It was Vanessa. Her all black outfit made her look more wicked than usual. She tossed a small, silver pistol between her hands, clearly unsure which hand it felt more comfortable in. Something inside of him wouldn't allow him to run to safety. Frozen in place, he watched her black-hearted grimace.

"What are you doing?" Hans practically shouted.

"Finishing business," Vanessa grunted. "Come inside, why don't you?"

"You shouldn't be here." Hans backed up, and she took a few steps closer to him. His clutch left the door and aimed at his bulging pocket to use his cellphone for help discreetly.

"Getting your phone out? Good. Now drop it, and put your hands behind your back," Vanessa hissed. She chuckled when she caught him jumping back at the sound of her malevolent voice. There was no way out of this situation, but he wanted to buy more time.

Hans persuaded, "The longer you're here, worse it is for you. If you let me go now, I won't tell the police. Don't make it more difficult than it has to be." He paused in place. His eyes darted between the gun and the door, considering the odds that she'd be able to shoot him, if he ran. Vanessa noticed, so she pointed the pistol in his direction.

"It's loaded. Try to run, and I'll shoot you down. I'd love to paint the walls with your brain. Now do it, Westerguaard. I'm not a patient woman." He remembered how she paid his brothers to beat him. He thought of Elsa's near death experience. The tone of Vanessa's voice, and her past actions, proved she'd kill him without remorse. Regretful that he had no choice, he opened his hand and let his cellphone flop onto the floor. The crack of its glass screen breaking scratched at their ears. Vanessa marched close enough kick his phone across the room with the black heel of her pumps, fragmenting its screen further. It slid into the corner of the white walls. She pointed the gun at his head, reminding him to finish the rest of her orders. Reluctantly, he held his wrists behind his back. Vanessa pushed his chest into the hard wall with a thud. His cheek squished against the wall. He knew she sincerely planned on murdering him, but now he became her unarmed victim. Uncertainty flourished in his fate. Vanessa roughly duct tapped his forearms together. Even his fingers locked together with the silver tape. The tightness stung, digging in his skin. Unable to reach the skyscraping man, the short brunette jerked the back of his belt on his pants to bring him off the wall.

"Vanessa, what do you want!?" He asked, after she spun him around to face her. Her sharp teeth glistened with moisture and hatred. "Maybe I can help you get it. Please, just what do you want?" He solicited. Without an explanation, she shoved him backwards on a black desk. His back flattened on the wide surface. Office supplies scattered on table top, causing him to wince as they pricked his spine. His wrists became trapped under his own weight. The back of his knees hung off the edge of the desk. Still in shock, he laid in place.

Vanessa attacked, "I want you to stay still!" She duct tapped his shins together. It became clear she only planned on eliminating him. She didn't arrive for money or promises of power. Perhaps she'd kidnap him, maim him, or... maybe this was the last day of his life.

"You made me do this," Vanessa creaked in a monotone voice. He the idea of dying young terrified him. There was so much he hadn't done. His life would be short, and it wouldn't be as glorious as he planned. His death approached at the hands of someone else, and all he could do was decide to save anyone else involved.

"But I did everything you asked me to," Hans disagreed. "Don't do this. It's not too late to turn back."

"You didn't do everything I asked of you, though! That's the problem! Hans, you wouldn't help me! My boss made me do this whole thing because he wanted your boss' position. That's why I needed information on Elsa. God, you're all so idiotic. None of you figured out I work for this company, too, in a different branch. We needed to hit Weselton in her most loyal employees. I was promised so much, if I was able to do it." She pressed the barrel of the gun into his sternum, while she shook. She cupped his knee in her free hand, considering tying him up more. His heart sped up at the threat of his life.

Vanessa growled, "I have to take Elsa out another way now."

"Leave her out of this," he pleaded.

"No, I'm the one who makes the rules! It's too late. You can't change my mind. You're just as useless as your brothers warned me you'd be. Nobody cares about you Hans. Nobody is coming for you. That's what makes this so easy. You're going to die tonight just the way you always lived: unloved." She drank in his misery the way his brothers had all his life. _Unloved. _He thought of Elsa.

He broke the silence, "Do what you want to me, but don't touch her." He figured he could take whatever abuse Vanessa had in stock for him, but Elsa couldn't. Elsa had a family who cared about her and a bright future. She was good and kind. She didn't deserve to be dragged into any of this. Giving up her life couldn't be something he'd let happen to her. Hans knew that if he died, nobody would truly mourn for him. Vanessa told the truth when it came to that. Maybe some part of Elsa would miss him but keeping her alive felt far more important. Any other person would have pleaded for their own life, but without Elsa, he had nothing. She was his everything.

Vanessa faked a laugh, "You know, I kind of wanted you at first. You kept asking, if there was something I want. Well, there is."

"What?"

"I want you to tell me you love me. Say my name," she meowed. He scrunched his nose, confused that of all things she could demand it was him she sought. He figured it might convince her to let him go or be easier with him, so he gave it a try.

He hesitated, unsure how she wanted his tone to sound, "O-okay. Vanessa, I-"

She snarled, "No, use my real name. It doesn't count, if you don't. Say 'Ursula.'"

"Will you promise to leave me and Elsa alone, if I do?" Offended that he tried to protect Elsa, she grimaced. Envious and tired of Hans' attempt to play the hero, she duct tapped his mouth. His voice became lost behind the layers she stacked on his mouth.

"Why does it matter what I do to her!? It's not like you actually care about her," Vanessa bellowed violently. She stared at his worried face until her own melted into a vacant expression. Without words, he'd accidentally given away the answer.

"Oh," she realized sourly. "That's how it is?" The man before her, the sole reason for Vanessa getting into this mess, settled confined at her will. The very thought filled her with excitement and vengeance. Without warning, she hit him across the face with the muzzle of her gun. The cold metal smashed against his skin. Vanessa struck for jealous love and struck for fear that he might be able fight back, despite his tied limbs. His nose bled, dripping down to his chin. She didn't bother to clean the new, red streaks off her gun. He closed his eyes, tensing his throat to cope with the stinging. With his mouth covered, he found himself unable to take in enough air. Breathing through his nose involved inhaling blood.

Vanessa purred, "So you're in love or something?" He remained silent, unable to speak. Vanessa looked up fearfully. Someone had interrupted her hostage bonding. A blonde figure stood in the doorway. Elsa. The blonde disobeyed his orders to wait for him, and he still felt angry that she did. Although he wouldn't survive without Elsa's aide, he hated that she got herself in danger by getting involved. Elsa's doleful gaze darted between his duct taped limbs, the blood, the gun. The very sight of it all brought raw tears to her aquamarine eyes. Her intuition in the parking lot warned her to check on Hans, and she regretted not listening to it sooner.

"Don't move, or I'll shoot!" Vanessa threatened. Elsa cradled herself with her arms, feeling sick to her stomach at Hans' condition. Silver tape shined along his legs and arms. His blood painted half of his face and neck. The gun still fixated at the wall. Her glossy blue eyes studied the gun with trepidation. Hans shook his head to warn her to leave, but Elsa couldn't bring herself to heed to his order. If she ran now, Vanessa probably wouldn't follow. Vanessa became too engrossed in Hans to follow her. Elsa's mind screamed at herself to run to safety, but instead she took a step closer towards her bleeding beloved.

"What did you do to him!?" Elsa cried. He needed her. Her parents were killed, and she didn't want the only man she'd ever loved to die, too.

Vanessa called out again, "I swear to God, I'll kill you right where you shake." Vanessa pointed the gun at Elsa's face, her polished finger firmly on the trigger. Elsa screamed, and dropped to the ground to dodge the imaginary, unfired bullet. On her knees, she covered her ears, afraid of any loud sound the gun could emit.

"Please, please don't kill us," Elsa sobbed.

"Take out your cellphone, and give it to me! Put your hands above your head!" Vanessa confidently commanded. Hans shook his head again, but Elsa obeyed the captor. She handed Vanessa her phone before placing her delicate hands above her straight, bunned hair. Vanessa plopped the cellphone in her pocket. She grinned at Elsa's fear. She stomped closer to Elsa, thrusting Elsa's arms behind her body. She duct taped Elsa's arms behind her back. The captor made sure that not even fingers were free on her victim. She then roughly pushed Elsa onto her stomach. Knees bent, her feet bobbed in the air. The sinister, beachy brunette then taped Elsa's shins together. After finished, Vanessa strolled back to the desk Hans laid on, admiring her bondage work on them both.

Vanessa practically sang, "Now that I have you both where I want you, you're going to have to answer to me. I just so happen to know your boss trusted blondie with top secret files. Where are they, doll face?"

"I can't tell you that," Elsa's voice cracked. "The information in those files could hurt a lot of people, if leaked."

"People get hurt every day. That's always a possibility," Vanessa sarcastically mocked. "What do those people matter to you, anyway? What about you're Hans, huh? Isn't he more important to you?" Vanessa pointed the gun behind herself, aiming at Hans' torso.

"Stop it!" Elsa begged.

"Well, isn't he!?"

"You've got to swear he'll be safe from any harm," Elsa rasped. A muffled rejection sounded from Hans' blocked mouth.

"Where are the files?" Vanessa repeated.

"Please, don't hurt him anymore," Elsa choked back a sob. It pained her to see him mangled in tape and blood.

Vanessa yelled, "I don't have time for this! I need an answer! Now."

"Alright!" Elsa quivered, "M-most of her things are in her office. The only thing I have is in my desk. The third desk, right there. It's in the middle drawer. I-It should be the only file in t-there." Holding the gun to her side, Vanessa jogged to Elsa's desk. She rummaged through the drawer, euphoric when she held the yellow file in the air.

"What a good girl you are," Vanessa rewarded Elsa. Despite the praise, Elsa felt disgusted with herself for betraying everyone. Vanessa took a handful of white, large, oval pills out of her black pocket. She knelt next to Elsa. "You like being a people pleaser, don't you? Be a good girl, take these, and nobody needs to get shot to death." Vanessa jammed her fingers in Elsa's mouth, opening her reluctant jaw. The brunette poured too many pills to count down her throat. Afterwards, she forced Elsa's mouth shut. Her other hand petted Elsa's pale throat aggressively until Elsa loudly choked the pills down.

"What did you just give me!?" Elsa gagged.

Vanessa belittled them, "It's just itty bitty sleeping pills. Stop struggling, and it wouldn't have to hurt so much to swallow." Vanessa floated back to Hans, tore off the tape over his mouth stinging pain. He coughed some of the blood he had inhaled, heaving in the fresh air after he finished. She ruggedly repeated the medication process. The area around his mouth became the only part free of bloodshed because the tape shielded it. She finished and slapped his chest victoriously twice like a show horse. Vanessa pressed the file to her heart, the way one would with an infant.

The brunette incarcerator put on a phony, friendly voice, "You may feel just a little queasy. It's kind of natural. Maybe you should stay down." Vanessa kicked into her side with the force of an athlete. Elsa groaned, burying her face into the floor. The sight made Hans wince, feeling secondhand pain from across the room.

Vanessa gloated, "Oh! You'll love this, blondie. One more thing. Hans, a deal's a deal. I have what I need from Elsa. You're off the hook. And, by the way Elsa, is he not a fabulous actor?"

"Stop it," Hans whispered in shame.

"What do you mean?" Elsa heaved, her sides still throbbing.

"I mean, your fiancé's been working for me the whole time. He only stayed close to you to rat you out to me. I used to follow his car to your house, watched you through your windows at night. I know everything about you, darling. I almost killed you in that garage, thanks to him," the captor evilly grinned. His ultimate punishment for betraying Vanessa became losing Elsa's love. This evil woman was the secret Hans hid from her, and the cost became too great.

Elsa shrieked weakly at her, "You're... You're lying!" The remorse on his face confessed the truth. Elsa shook her head, wanting to convince herself Hans lacked the capability to cross her simply because there authentically _could_ be such a thing as true love. There, in fact, _was_ such a thing as true love to her. He'd proved it. Considering that he might have been using her mutilated her fragile heart. The idea crushed her so much because she warned herself long before they dated that he'd cross her. Reality flung itself at her in full throttle.

He struggled for the right sentence, "It wasn't like that! Elsa, wait. It's not what it sounds like. It was only like that in the beginning! I didn't mean to. I didn't know you like I do now! I couldn't... I'm sorry."

Vanessa added, "I couldn't have done it without you, Hans. Well, I gotta go. There's a whole world out there with my name on it." The brunette kissed the file before slamming the door on her way out. They laid in the same places, quiet. It became difficult for Hans to think of something to say. Anguish washed over him. Closing his eyes, he could still hear Elsa's breath hitch in her crying. He broke her, and he had to listen to every single sob of what he'd done. He wished ears could close the way eyes do because the guilt overflowed. He recalled how he spent weeks upon weeks promising he wouldn't do this very thing. Tonight was the first time he felt lonely in her company.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry," he breathed. He knew saying it wouldn't be enough, but he didn't know where to start. Being drugged didn't help him brainstorm.

She shouted, dejected and depressed, "How could you!?"

"I'm going to get you out of this. I'll fix this," He mustered up.

"You're the reason we're in the mess! Don't talk to me! I hate you! I don't want anything to do with you."

"Els, don't-"

"I trusted you!" She screamed. Her cheeks were wet with tears. Hans opened his eyes, looking at the girl who once loved him. Regret oozed out of his heart, pouring itself into every thought he made. Elsa stretched her arms apart, unable to break the tape. "I don't do that. I haven't done that in a long time. I showed you the real me, and I spent my entire life trying to get rid of the real me. You don't get it, and you never did. I trusted you, but you never cared about me. All you cared about was your stupid promotion," her voice faded.

"That's not true!" He objected.

"It's not!?" She spat accusingly. They sat in silence, knowing it was the truth. Elsa pressed her lips into a fine line, inflamed in resentment.

Hans pleaded, "I've never been more sorry in my entire life."

"I don't want you to ever speak to me again. Stay out of my life," She whispered, heartbroken.

"I feel terrible, and I deserve to. I was a liar. I gave in. I know I shouldn't have done it. I know I don't deserve it, but can't you forgive me at least just temporarily? We can still try to break free before she comes back."

"She's not coming back. She's a liar, like you. I bet those weren't sedative pills. She probably gave us poison! We're going to die here," Elsa forewarned. Deciding to take action, he inched forward on the desk, while still on his back. He struggled the short distance, traveling by pushing is legs against the desk to slide his head near the other edge. With his arms behind him hanging off the edge, he used the corner to tug at the tape near his elbows. He pulled as forcefully as he could, sitting up sternly. Just as he began to feel too frustrated, he heard the tape rip. He tugged again on the desk's edge, tearing it further. He kept going, yanking against the sharp edge until he felt the jagged tape split totally. Once he freed his arms, he began to unravel his legs. Elsa shut her eyes in misery, but she could sense what he was doing from the sound.

She barked, still enraged at him, "That murderer could even be on her way to hurt Anna. I can't believe any of this is happening. You betrayed me. You ruined my life." He slid off the desk, blood flow now able to go where the tape tightly banded. He took a step towards her and crashed to the floor. His legs tingled with numbness. An extreme drowsiness came upon him, but he fought the urge to stay awake. He crawled towards Elsa, who still laid on her stomach. He rolled her over onto her back and pulled her into a sitting position. She tucked her restrained legs into her chest, keeping as far away from him as much as possible.

"Els, I know this is all my fault, but let me help you." He pulled her legs towards him against her will, unraveling the thick tape. She frowned, bothered by how lightheaded she felt. Her feet rested in his lap, as he did the work of unwinding her. Her weak head bobbed forward from the anesthesia kicking in. She appeared just as dizzy as him. He spun her body around in order for her back to face him. He picked at the silver duct tape clinging to her wrists. The room felt like it spiraled, slowing down his pace at unbinding her.

"Forget me. Go get help," Elsa interjected. "This medicine is kicking in. I don't think I could even walk out with you, Hans. Go without me."

"No, I'm not leaving you here."

"Stop trying to save me and escape already."

"No," he refused. He started a small pile for the bountiful amount of tape he removed from her, and he kept untying her. He felt unable to stay cognitive.

"But you're free? Why are you helping me?" She slurred her words, angry that the pills took over.

"Because I still... Even if you don't..." He nervously abandoned properly forming the difficult sentence. He had a lump in his throat, afraid she might not know what he felt too undeserving and guilty to confess. He wanted her to know how he felt, but it hurt too much to say aloud. Dazed, he tore the last of the tape off of her. Elsa twisted around to face him. She stared at him, discovering his condition wasn't well at all. He appeared like he could faint at any moment. His eyes lulled shut, unable to fight the pills. He collapsed onto the ground, his head hitting the ground harshly. She wished he'd fallen in her lap instead. She leaned over his body.

"Hans!" She shook him for an entire minute, until his eyes slowly opened. His head turned to the side, avoiding looking at the nauseating bright, ceiling lights. In the far corner of the room, he spotted his cellphone. Vanessa forgot to take his with her. He sleepily tapped Elsa's hand on his chest.

"Please, say something! Wake up," Elsa prayed. Her theory about them being poisoned scared her. She clutched his the cloth of his shirt in her fists, afraid he could be dying.

"Go over there," he whispered. His finger pointed towards the corner, lazily. "Vanessa forgot my cellphone. It's still here. She tried to break it, but it might still work."

"Hans, you're not okay," Elsa whimpered.

"Stop, I'm fine," Hans rasped, unsure if he was correct. "While you still are conscious, go get my phone. Call for help. You don't have much time. You can still stop Vanessa." He pointed at the cellphone. He might not have been able to be a hero, but Elsa could. She had the bravery of a warrior. He knew he could count on her to save them.

"Don't. Please, no," Elsa cried, forbidding him to blackout. "Please, be okay. Damn it, Hans. Why didn't you just let her kill me sooner? Why didn't you sell me out, so this wouldn't happen to you?"

"You're _my_ Elsa. No one matters but you," he mumbled. She could tell he was seconds away from passing out. He wished he could have done more to rescue her instead of procrastinating her demise.

"Hans, I-I..." She couldn't muster any speech, distraught and drugged herself. No matter how much she didn't want to, she still cared about him deeply. He lost consciousness, and her distorted vision darted to the cellphone.

She mustered through her tears, "You're going to be alright. I promise." Elsa crawled towards the cellphone weakly, her body begging her to take breaks between. The bruise Vanessa kicked into her added to the difficulty of moving. She reached the far corner and collapsed flat on the floor. She could barely hold her head up anymore. Grunting, she reached for the shattered cellphone. Moving physically pained her, taking every drop of her energy to stay awake. Droplets rained from her eyes from the emotional turmoil of knowing more than her life rested in her hands. She eagerly slid the lock screen, cutting her finger on the broken glass. A high pitched shriek slipped out of her in frustration by the wound. She fought to remain focused. With blurry eyes, she dialed 911.

After a series of ringing, a masculine operator answered in a serious tone, "911. What's your emergency?"

"Send," Elsa droned in exhaustion. "Send the police."

"What's your emergency?"

"There was a gun and... She, she stole the... We're poisoned."

"Poisoned? You need an ambulance? Do you know where you are?"

"13 Winter Avenue... Arendelle." Elsa moaned, forgetting the point midway of why she spoke. Laying on her stomach, the side of her cheek pressed against the cold floor.

"Ma'am? I didn't hear you?" Silence followed. Elsa closed her heavy eyes. "Ma'am, are you there?" She could have sworn she heard a man talking to her in her daze. It sounded like someone in person instead of a phone. In her mind, she morphed the image of Hans speaking to her. She imagined them sitting on the roof of his car, watching the sunset again. She dreamed of him, the voice dimming lower and lower, until her world faded to darkness.

...

_"Are you there miss? Hello? Are you still there?"_


	21. Chapter 21

AN: (All ANs are optional.) Sometimes, I personally skip around when reading a fic. If you are like me, try to resist that urge this time. This chapter will make a lot more sense, if you read it all. I only say this because that sounds like something I would do. It's a little sad/heavy at first, but just hold in there.

* * *

Elsa's heavy, purple eyelids opened slowly, unwelcomed by bright ceiling lights. Too wearisome to move her aching body, her cyan eyes darted around to understand where she was taken. She gathered she wasn't in the office anymore. She laid on her back in a white, thin hospital bed. The box-shaped room colored entirely in white except for a black chair in the corner by the brown, wooden door. The dripping of the IV bag's fluid draining into a lanky tube that inserted into her left hand agitated her. Her senses heightened. _Drip drop drip drop_. Every droplet annoyed her. She felt afraid to jerk around too much out of the chance of painfully moving the needle inside her vein. She looked down and realized she now wore a blue-grey hospital gown. Elsa turned her face sharply to the other side and shrieked when she saw Anna standing so close to her. Elsa balled up sections of the blankets in her frail fists with worried eyebrows when she realized her baby sister must have been in this recovery room for a while.

"Don't freak out!" Anna begged meekly. The redhead raised her hands, as if to signal a surrender. She studied the dark circles under Elsa's eyes with a perturbed expression. As happy as she felt to see Elsa awaken, she filled with horror at the thought of the events that lead her ethical, older sister into this position. She hadn't seen her Elsa appear so startled before.

Elsa grumbled, "Why are-"

Anna interjected, "Don't bother asking me anything because I don't know. I don't really understand the full story and that scares me. All I know is you and Hans were found sedated, and now the police are involved. What on earth happened?"

"Sedated? So it wasn't poison?"

"What?"

"Never mind," the blonde groaned.

"I love you, but are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Elsa looked down and realized her own blonde hair had fallen out of its elastic band, draping over her shoulders messily. Reality slowly kicked in about the seriousness about the situation. The blonde looked at her own pale hands. Hans' dried blood still remained under the whites of her nails. "Where's Hans?"

"I don't know. I never asked," Anna whined, frustrated that Elsa still hadn't explained the situation. "I'd really appreciate, if you told me what's going on because once the hospital discovers your awake they're going to take you away from me."

"Why?" Elsa gasped, panicked that all of the frauds and lies at work finally caught up. Elsa sat up straight, giving her sister a better view of her smudged mascara.

"The police want to see you. They were really adamant about interrogating you the moment you woke up," the redhead mentioned. The brown door had three flimsy knocks. In Elsa's groggy mind, she hoped it'd be Hans. A nurse in over-sized, blue scrubs came in. She grinned widely. The whiteness of her teeth contrasted with her tan. Her hair was in a high, long, black ponytail that flipped at the ends. She peppily pointed at her name tag, which read: _Jasmine Ababwa. RN. Agrabah Hospital._

The nurse greeted with a high pitch voice, "I'm glad you're finally awake! I just need to check on your vitals. How do you feel? Sleepy at all?"

Jasmine slid out the IV needle without much pain, and checked Elsa's blood pressure.

"No," Elsa lied, wanting to leave as soon as possible. "I feel great. Can I go home now?"

"Um, almost," Jasmine hesitated. She had to alert the authorities that Elsa awoke in a cognitive state to begin the interrogations.

* * *

Dressed in the blooded clothes she was found in, Elsa uncomfortably sat in the dark-lit interrogation room at the police station. The walls painted black. There was a long window against the wall, which she felt certain had cops on the other side to watch her. The hospital had saved her clothing for her, unable to let her leave in a hospital gown. The brownish-red blood dried, flakily falling off like saw dust when accidentally rubbed. No break had been given to Elsa, since the moment she woke up. She slumped in an old, creaky chair, and two empty chairs faced her on the other side of the table. Typically, her classiness would never allow her to sit so unregally, but she could barely keep her eyes open. She folded her arms on the wobbly table in front of her and rested her head. The door flew open, and an olive skinned man with tawny, wavy, short hair marched in with a tall women. She had pale skin, and upturned eyes. Her hair, similar to nurse Jasmine's, was pulled into a high, dark, ponytail. Her curls bounced with every intimidatingly bold step she took. They both wore black suits. The man's tie colored bayou green, and woman's as purple as Aphrodite would have wanted. Elsa lifted her head off the table.

The man spoke in a sing-song fashion in a Maldonian accent, excited to be working on his first interrogation, "I'm Naveen, and this is my partner."

"Officer Megara Godds, but you can call me Meg," the woman interrupted. She had a husky voice, and a sassy personality to match. If they were playing good-cop-bad-cop, it became clear Meg would be the bad cop. Meg popped on her aviator sunglasses to scare the frightened blonde more.

Naveen cheerfully began again, "Now, tell us exactly what happened on the night you called the police."

"How long have I been unconscious?" Elsa whimpered. Nobody told her a thing at the hospital, not even Anna. Elsa fiddled with her hands in her lap, afraid they wouldn't believe her unawareness.

Rolling his R's, he answered, "Yesterday. Again, try to recall the events of last night."

"Where's Hans?" Elsa looked at her own button down shirt, repulsed and haunted by the idea his blood staining her. She couldn't look away from it for long. Trying to make eye contact respectfully, her sorrowful stare would drift back to the wine-colored red. She once swallowed his breath in their embraces, yet she didn't even know, if he still breathed at all. This was why she never got close to people. They always leave, be it of their own will or death. It took everything in her too tear her focus away from his blood in order to look up at the officers.

"We're getting off subject. Ma'am, please answer the question," Naveen commanded.

"Wait, how did you even find me last night? I thought nobody understood me when I called the police. I wasn't coherent. Did you track the cellphone?"

"We always record phone calls. We replayed yours, until we understood the address you gave," he corrected.

Meg growled, "Answer the question, Goldie Locks! You got a choice here: either you answer my questions, or you're going to jail. I'd hate to see a nice girl like you end up there."

Noticing Elsa's nervousness, Naveen calmly added, "Come on, Miss. I'm not asking you to sign anything. We're just talking."

Elsa's voice quivered, "Okay, okay. I don't really understand what happened yesterday. It was a normal day, at first. After work ended, Hans went back inside the office. He was gone for a long time, so I followed him. This girl with a gun was tying him up. There was blood all over him. I didn't know, if she shot him or what. She eventually tied me up, too. And..."

Naveen huffed, "Where's Dr. Weselton's file? Did you sell it? Were you working with the gunman?"

"No!" Elsa pleaded. "No, I-I never met that girl before! She has the file. I don't have it. Dr. Weselton doesn't have it." Naveen pulled the notepad and pen on the center of the table closer to him and started writing.

Naveen quizzed, "Did you plot a conspiracy to murder Doctor Helsa Weselton?"

"No!" Elsa quickly shot back.

"Did you plot a conspiracy to murder Mister Hans Westerguaard? We already know you had a motive," Naveen judged.

"What? No! I would never do that to him! Are you saying he's dead!?" Elsa cried.

He slowly worded himself, "What is your exact relationship to Hans?" Elsa paused, unsure of what to say or how to begin. Neither of the officers took her hesitation as a good sign. She felt sick to her stomach.

"If you think we're going to think all of this was just a big coincidence, we're going to be here for a long time. You're not going anywhere until you confess," Meg shouted. Elsa leered down, as if she thought of something. Naveen jotted down more words onto the notepad, suspecting of Elsa's intentions with Hans. Meg's sunglasses slid down the long bridge of her pointed nose, revealing her grimacing expression.

"Okay, wait." Elsa took in a shallow breath, "When you say I'm not allowed to leave and could go to jail, do you mean I'm arrested?"

Meg sighed, "Well no. We just brought you in for questioning."

Elsa reasoned, "So you don't have any evidence to arrest me?"

"Not yet," Meg admitted.

"Sorry, sorry. I just... I..." Elsa stopped herself from apologizing any further for questions. She had nothing to be sorry about, and she felt sick of people making her feel like she constantly needed to apologize for existing. With a gentle voice that struggled to sound confident, she bargained, "Then you can't keep me here, right? I'm free to go, officers?"

Naveen sulked, "Technically, yeah." Naveen's face grew pale, and Meg's eyes widened. They underestimated the blonde.

"As you can imagine, I've had a very rough week, so I'd really rather be resting at home." Elsa stood up, and the cops angrily were forced to walk her out free where Anna would be waiting to pick her up.

* * *

That night at home, she skipped dinner. After sending Hans a few text messages, she placed her sparkling engagement ring on her finger for old times' sake. It wasn't because of the expensive diamonds that she pressed her left hand to her heart. It was because of the person who first slid it up her shaking hand. Soaking in a bubble bath, she was forced to look at what she had become in the wide mirror: hollowed out cheeks, dark circles under her eyes, and an even paler than usual face. She looked like a ghost. Drying off with a white towel, she felt lonely. This kind of loss wasn't something she felt like she could talk to Anna about. She dried herself with a white towel and changed into pajamas sloppily. She fell fast asleep with wet hair in her large bed, habitually dreaming of Hans. She had nightmares of him leaving her or never finding him again. It felt like there wouldn't be any relief even in her sleep. The feeble young woman knew it wouldn't be close to the real thing, but she squished an extra pillow against her chest, pretending it was the hug she desperately needed. It made her galled to know all of the secrets he'd kept from her, but her heart still grieved. The next day, Elsa drove to work. It was requested that she came in, although Dr. Weselton told her she wouldn't be doing any actual work. Her boss insisted it was merely a talk that wouldn't take any longer than an hour. Too shaken up to even look at another business suit without thinking of Hans, Elsa wore a black dress with long sleeves. Her hair only restrained itself with a headband, but her bangs still rested on her forehead. She looked healthier this day after her rest and painted on makeup. Her black ballet flats barely made a sound, as she walked in front of her boss' office door. She knocked on the door, remembering with a shutter all the times she'd open the door to see Hans in the office. Dr. Weselton let her in, and Elsa sat down in the structured, leather seat in front of her desk. Her boss put placed her veiny hands on her own aged chest.

"I'm so glad you could make it safely. How do you feel?" Dr. Weselton puzzled, only because it would seem impolite to not.

Elsa nodded, "I'm feeling better. Is there something you wanted to inform me about?"

Dr. Weselton stipulated, "I know Vanessa got to you and Hans and sent you to the hospital. I know the cops have been trying to get a hold of you. I know everything. I'm sorry it all lead up to this. I just wanted you to know-"

"Where is he? Please, I haven't been told anything about him! Is he okay?" Elsa restrained herself from jolting out of her seat.

"Calm down! Goodness! You both were sent to the hospital. He actually woke up long before you. The police went to him for questioning, and then he got dismissed from the hospital. I'm sure he's at his home. Look, I might get into huge trouble with the police to sharing any information with you. I just wanted to let you know, you're not fired. The company wanted to ruin _all of us. _They almost took away this career that I've spent _decades_ building up," Dr. Weselton's voice shook with frustration on the last word. "Originally, we were all going to be arrested, fired, and taken to court, but Hans did something out of character. He took the blame for everything. I didn't even ask him to do it. Thanks to him, you and I are off the hook. He said everything that happened was just between him and Vanessa. Our names are off the records. Elsa, this is the best news ever! We still have our jobs and we're free!" Instead of excitement, Elsa appeared upset.

"You actually let him take the blame for everything? He doesn't deserve that! You forced him into this whole mess, and you forced me into it, too!" Elsa hissed, enraged she'd let him hurt himself by sacrifice his name for both of them.

"Elsa, we both have our jobs and zero charges. I can't believe you're mad about this! What else was I supposed to do?"

"God, I don't know. Tell the truth for once," Elsa challenged. "Out of all the terrible things you've done, this is the worst. How dare you take advantage of him! You forced us to pretend we were engaged, or we'd get replaced! You forced us to lie to investors and the entire town! You're the one who bought this lousy engagement ring with stolen company money!" Elsa removed the flashy ring from her left finger hatefully and placed it on her boss' desk.

"That's no way to talk to your boss!"

"I quit," the blonde spat.

"Elsa, you're being over emotional! You don't mean that!"

"I quit," she repeated.

"Think carefully. You worked very hard to be where you are now. Don't throw this all away," Dr. Weselton threatened. The young woman bolted out of the room, never to return. Elsa felt relieved yet knew she wouldn't be fully content, until she finally address what occupied her mind with the one person on her mind.

* * *

"I wouldn't touch it," Albert warned. Hans gently tapped the light bruise around his eye. They both sat on a white, leather couch in their living room. The Westerguaard mansion was far larger than Elsa's, which it needed to be since it contained thirteen men. Hans felt relieved that none of his other brothers cared enough to bother him about what happened. In fact, he wasn't certain, if his other brothers were even home. The quietness of the place made him question his family's location.

"Do you want ice?" Albert propped his elbow on the arm chair and rested his cheek in his hands. Silent treatment. Typical behavior from his little brother. "You haven't said a word, since I picked you up from the hospital. We're adults now. Stop ignoring me. Tell me what happened."

"I'm just tired," Hans rubbed his healthy eye with his fist. "I don't know what you want me to say, Al."

"How did you get into a situation involving guns, getting tied up, things getting stolen, getting drugged, and police just... everywhere? That's not like you."

"You're the last person allowed to say 'that's not like you.'" Hans' long fingers brushed along the length of his nose. The texture of the neutral colored tape across his broken nose felt smooth. Under the tape sat a thin, silver, metal that curved to the shape of the bridge of his nose. It was designed to hold the bone in place. The rush of blood from his broken nose bleeding so much at the crime scene caused the excess red fluid slipped up to around his eye, causing it to look like he earned a black eye. When he got discharged from the hospital, Albert welcomingly picked Hans up in his car. Albert didn't act like it was a burden to him. He only appeared worried about Hans' state. The first thing Hans did when he came home was sleep and take the longest shower of his life. He stood in the shower for two hours, just letting the beads of water drizzle against his muscled back. Hans' weary, basil eyes once love-struck now appeared empty.

Albert guiltily began, "I know, I wasn't there for you, and..."

"No, not this again. Please, it's done. There's nothing you can do about the past," Hans closed up.

"Hans, I want to be close to you. The police know more about you than I do. Doesn't that bother you?"

"I'm really not in the mood..."

"No, let me finish. I should have guided you, growing up. Maybe then you would have come to me for help instead of all of this building up on its own. You had no one. I'm a... fucking asshole," Albert concluded. Hans' eyebrows shot up. Albert was as proper with his speech as Elsa. He never heard his older brother curse before, and it felt amusingly forbidden to hear him say it.

"You're a fucking asshole?" Hans repeated, unable to hide the smile growing from the corner of his mouth. "I'm listening. Go on."

"God, you are twelve. Yes, I'm an ass, I'm sorry about it, and I promise to stop. This has been bothering me for months, and seeing you today at the hospital only made it worse. You looked like you were dragged through hell."

"I was," Hans didn't deny. He remembered how his big brother aided him on the day of his beating. Hans demanded to be left alone, but Albert wouldn't abandon him. He took good care of him. Albert meant every apology he burst, and Hans knew it. The idea of letting his big brother back into his life crossed his mind many times since that day, discreetly longing having his early-childhood best friend back. Albert's pistachio eyes shinned with wetness that he tried to blink away.

"Do you think you can forgive me and trust me again, Hans?"

Hans let the word sit at the back of his throat before releasing out a, "No." Albert frowned, rejection stinging him more than he'd like to admit. They sat in a minute of silence before Hans sighed, "Not now, but this is a start."

"I'll take that," Albert smiled wearily. "That's good enough for me, I guess." The hope that maybe they could rekindle their demolished relationship grew again in both of them. They made emotional eye contact. Albert patted his shoulder roughly to substitute for a hug, since his little brother didn't seem too keen on loving him, at the moment.

"If you keep staring at me like that, we're going to have to get married."

"Point taken. Maybe you should go get some rest, anyway," Albert snorted. The brunette stood up briskly and jogged towards the marble spiral staircase in the back of the living room. Hans laid his head down on the cushion his brother once occupied, ready to take a much needed nap. Hans rested on his stomach. His long, well-built arm dangled off the edge of the couch and onto the floor. Despite the blazing day light, his swollen eyes fluttered shut. Unanticipated, the doorbell rang frantically. It was the afternoon, and they weren't expecting company. Albert groaned, slumping back down the stairs.

"I'll get it, lazy," Albert moaned, knowing his exhausted, baby brother wouldn't move an inch from where he dozed. His brown curls bounced with each step he took down the stairs. He made his way to the front door and swung it open grudgingly, still glancing back at sleeping Hans.

"Where do I sign?" Albert puffed, expecting a package.

"Excuse me?" A sweet, feminine voice answered. Confused by the tone in the deliverer, Albert turned his head to face her.

"Sorry, I must have confused you. I'm sure you weren't expecting me. I'm Elsa Winters. I was wondering, if I could please see Hans Westerguaard? This is where he lives, right?"

"Oh... Uh," Confused, Albert tried to recall where he heard her name before. Her prettiness didn't aide him in thinking any faster. If she hadn't requested for Hans, he probably would have asked her what her plans were for this weekend. His loyalty towards his little brother forbade him.

"Is he here? Should I come back another time?" Elsa offered. Hans opened his eyes at the sound of the voice, agitated that the pair kept talking so loudly. His scowl shifted into a surprised expression to see it was Elsa who Albert spoke to. He pushed himself into an upright sitting position, his hair tousled from rolling around to find a comfortable sleeping position. Although Albert proved to be his only good brother, territorial instincts coursed through him. He'd had most of his brothers in the past hunt after his dates like lustful wolves. He didn't want it to ever happen again. What made it worse, he couldn't tell, if Elsa was flirting with Albert or just socially nervous from the way she twirled her platinum locks. And the way Albert smiled and lingered before her made him even more agitated. Hans stood up promptly and stormed towards them. He wedged himself through the crack in the door, and grabbed Elsa's hand forcefully.

"I'll take it from here. You can go now, thanks," Hans called behind him, dragging Elsa behind. He quickly pulled her down the front steps, causing her to stumble at the speed he walked at.

"What are you doing here!? I thought I told you to never come here. You're such a stalker. How did you even find out where I live!?" Hans scolded, disguising his jealousy by redirecting it towards something else.

"Slow down! I almost tripped like three times! If you bothered to call or text me, I wouldn't have to show up! What kind of person goes through all of that crazy stuff we went through, and thinks it's okay to never talk or see each other again!? I can't believe you're mad at me for visiting you," She defensively lashed. They stood still in front of a grey, tall, water fountain in his front yard that had two angel statues on top. The trickling of the water somehow reminded her of her IV. He let go of her hand.

"How was I supposed to know you wanted me to? You told me you never wanted to see me again and basically broke up with me. Look, I know you're unreasonably upset, but let me explain," Hans refuted.

"Unreasonably!? I thought you were dead!" Elsa shouted. She rubbed her eye with the back of her hand, sniffling.

"Wait, no. Please, don't cry. I didn't mean to yell at you," Hans whispered, afraid Albert could hear them through the closed front door.

Elsa fussed, "Dr. Weselton told me what you did. She told me you took the blame for me. You did everything to keep this job, but you just threw it all away? You put me before yourself!? You could go to jail over petty things you never even did! How dare you take the blame for me! I'm so angry at you, right now! What you did is unforgivable!"

"You're _angry_ at me!? Are you kidding me!? I can't believe we're even having this conversation! You're not making any sense!" He scoffed, unsure why she wasn't thankful that he cleared her name. Before he could make sense of her temper, she stood on the very tips of her toes and hastily tangled herself around his neck. With her head tilted to the side, she planted a firm kiss on his lips. His eyes wandered around, as if the answer as to why she behaved like this was written somewhere in his front yard. He paused in place, stunned that she'd pounce on him like this. He noticed she had gotten much better at kissing, which he hoped was thanks to himself and not caused by her possibly kissing other men during their breakup. It was a ridiculous thought to think she'd been with other lovers, since it'd only been two days since they'd last been together. Eventually, his arms that clung to his sides floated towards her slim back, but she curtly pulled away before he touched her. He could tell she wanted to give him the cold shoulder, and her hot-and-cold attitude befuddled him more. She prematurely let him go, until _wham_. She slapped him so hard, his face turned to the side. His eyes shot open wide, unclear why she'd kiss him then punish him immediately after. He couldn't even tell, if they were still dating or not, and he was too afraid to ask.

"What was that for!?" He frowned at her, cupping his broken nose momentarily to make sure it was okay.

"That's for almost getting me killed twice by Vanessa, and this is for lying to me the entire time with Dr. Weselton." She slapped him once more. Raising herself on her toes again, she cupped his face. Soft thumbs petting his cheeks, she kissed him as hard as she could. Her chest leaned against his with all her weight. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but Elsa kept occupying his mouth. First, she'd love him. Next, she'd hate him. Typical behavior for the pair, but he'd had enough of the mixed messages. He placed one hand on her small of her back and the other cupped her jaw. He pushed her face off of his in order to communicate.

"Wait, I'm confused," He admitted in a hushed tone. He had so much he wanted to question, but he couldn't figure out where to start. She grabbed his large hand around her jaw and pulled it away by the wrist.

"Shut up," Elsa muffled against his mouth. She released his wrist and brushed her fingers through his dark, coppery hair. Despite his many questions, he finally gave in. Attempting to decode the emotional roller coaster they shared would be too complicated. He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning his kiss much deeper in order to no longer let her over power him. He felt a tear roll down her cheek. He pondered, if she felt sorrow, until it hit him that it was relief. She felt relieved to know he was alive, and she was ready to love him again. He cupped her face and wiped her salty tears with his thumb. Pushing her waist into him more intensely, he reminded her that she was safe with him. They stayed kissing like that for so long, they lost track of time. Reality hit her, and she felt like she was about to snap. Elsa pushed him away by his shoulders, giving her swollen, pink lips a break.

"What do we do from here?" She fretted. "I mean, I quit my job, too. We're unemployed. I never even finished my police interrogation, and I don't think they ever caught Vanessa."

"We'll apply to somewhere new. We have to. Maybe we'll get to work together, and I wouldn't worry about the police thing. We're going to be interrogated a lot either way, I'm sure. We'll just start over, but no more lying to the top anymore. We can't repeat the same mistakes." They both learned what goes around comes around, and playing with fire only resulted in getting burned.

Elsa pointed with her finger, "Speaking of coming clean and doing what's right, you have to tell the truth to the police. You can't take credit for all the shenanigans of Dr. Weselton and Vanessa."

Hans sighed, "Fine, I'll go to the police station tomorrow. Happy?"

"Mhm," Elsa giggled, walking her fingers up his chest coquettishly. She once feared belonging to someone. Now she didn't let fear control her. She'd gone through so much and came out as a polished, tougher person. She could handle anything. Even Hans. Even love, completely blind, over-the-top, wonderstruck love. Petting his face once more, she kissed his cheek. "Happy because I'm yours."

"You're mine."

* * *

THE END

AN: So I just wanted to take the time to answer a few things that I noticed in the comments. I never planned on writing helsa smut, but I will since more than one person requested it. It's not going to be posted in this exact story, however. It's basically just straight up office sex, it's and posted as its own story (kind of like a one shot.) It's called "Improper Office Conduct," for obvious reasons. It is already posted right now, if you want to go read it! Also, at the end of this story, Hans and Elsa are in fact a couple. They lives their lives happily together, mending their ties with their trustworthy family members, and eventually work together for a new company. I can't believe I stretched an one shot into a multi chapter fic this long.

I saw the question: "'It is left a little bit vague over what 'thing' happened to Elsa. In my mind I know what it is, but I wanted the readers to have to make assumptions for themselves.' So are you gonna tell us or not."

Answer: That is from chapter 1. I liked the ambiguity of nobody really fully understanding what happened to her. Basically, readers can infer that Elsa must have gotten into some sort of dispute that really riled her up and humiliated her at work. Think of the coronation ballroom scene in Frozen. I'll just leave the rest to your imagination. There are more comments that I read, but they seem more like statements than questions lol. Thanks so to everyone for reading and reviewing. This was my first fan fic ever, so I really didn't expect this many readers and feedback.


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